Lies Between Friends and Lovers
by Dyna Dee
Summary: Yaoi H and D. It's been five years since the end of the war, the invitation to join Preventers was issued and the Gundam pilots became estranged. Relena is missing. Having no leads, Preventers look for someone with a grudge. Duo's name is on that list.
1. Chapter 1

Lies - Between Friends and Lovers  
By: Dyna De  
Rating: R for sexual content, maybe some language. Yaoi, Heero/Duo

Prologue  
Relena Peacecraft

Slipping out of the confines of her home wasn't as difficult as it should have been. The tricky part was avoiding the security cameras and guards who walked the outside perimeter of the estate. Dressed in dark clothing from head to toe and wearing deck shoes, (the only pair of footwear she owned that didn't have heels) she followed the familiar dark garden path, jumping slightly with a start at the slightest sound, fearing discovery. She had fifteen minutes until the security trip lines were activated in the garden area, so there was no time to waste.

Finally reaching her first destination, the far right corner of the garden and the vine-covered cement wall that surrounded the estate, she fumbled several moments within the dark shadows to find a good foot and handhold. Once she did, she began the cautious climb up the twelve-foot barrier. Though Heero had often complained about the hardy ivy being a security problem, she'd protested cutting it down completely, arguing that the vines had been there for as long as anyone could remember and that the garden looked more lush and beautiful with the large green leaves covering the otherwise unimpressive cement wall. Heero had grudgingly agreed to her request, allowing a limited number of the original vines climbing the twelve foot tall structure that surrounded the Peacecraft mansion to remain intact. The vines on the outside of the wall, however, had been completely eradicated.

Keeping her body as low as she possibly could, she used her forearms to ease her chest and then one leg over the foot wide ledge at the top of the wall where she paused, torso flat with the ledge, but only for a moment. Having readied her self for the next step, she carefully eased the lower half of her body over the outside edge and lowered herself as far down as she could manage until she was hanging on by her manicured fingertips. Having no other hand or foot holds on that side the wall, she mentally crossed her fingers and let go, dropping the remaining distance to the green grass below. She landed with a grunt and a quiet thud, her feet sharply stinging despite having been cushioned by the manicured lawn.

Once her feet stopped stinging, she turned to scan the surrounding area to make sure she wasn't spotted before dashing down the grass-covered mound to the roadway below. She kept to the shadows until she reached the corner of the block, then stepped out onto the sidewalk properly, as nonchalantly as she could manage. With a quick glance behind her to make she the alarms hadn't been sounded, the world around her seemed as it should be, at peace. With a nod of satisfaction, she turned her attention forward to the road she was following. It would, at least temporarily, lead her away from all the obligations and worries she carried throughout the day'.

Walking down the street, lit dimly by the old-fashioned styled streetlights, she breathed in deeply, enjoying the smell of freedom, if only for a few short hours. Slipping a hand into the pocket of her slacks, she reassured herself that the credits she'd pocketed for her late-night snack hadn't slipped out during her climb up the leafy vine ladder. She smiled, touching the folded bills, wondering what type of high-content sugar or salty treat lay in store for her at the all-night convenience store located less than a mile down the lane. Something with nuts and caramel and covered in chocolate perhaps. Yes, she was really quite pleased with herself for the ease of her escape and she intended to enjoy every moment of the evening.

Her smile lingered as she calmly strolled along the avenue, feeling completely safe despite the late hour and the impenetrable darkness beyond the streetlights. Sanq had one of the lowest crime rates in all of Europe, and besides, there were other people walking about, though not in large numbers: lovers strolling arm in arm and young people coming or going to the movie theater or out for a treat, just as she was.

The storefronts she passed were relatively dark, with only a few having a light shining in the display windows or a back room. She fought the urge to pause and peer into the many windows to study the wares on display, knowing she really shouldn't. Having been thoroughly tutored by Heero, she knew she should remain alert to her surroundings, not gazing at pretty trinkets, shoes or clothing. The last thing she wanted to happen on her little late-night escapade was to run into friend or foe, for either one could land her into more trouble than she wanted. Being seen in public at that time of night, alone and without security or a chaperone, would be fruitful fodder for the press. As it was, she would most likely receive a severe scolding from Milliardo in the morning for sneaking out again, after the guards at the front gate informed him, of course. It was something that couldn't be avoided because of the simple fact that it was easier to breakout of the security placed around her home than it was to break in, thanks to Heero and the team he'd retained for her safety. Still, another lecture was a small price to pay for the hour or two of freedom and anonymity.

At one time she would have thought the security measures outlandish, but after being drugged and kidnaped while visiting the colonies a year after the end of the first war, she no longer raised her voice in protest as she might have once done.

Strolling across several street crossings and passing several cafes, restaurants and more stores, thoroughly enjoying her outing, her attention soon became fixed upon the bright lights of the convenience store located no more than half a block ahead. She glanced around to see that she was very much alone on the street, though there were two customers just entering the building she was headed for.

And then something changed. A warning prickle crept up her spine, making the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She nervously cast her eyes about, looking for the cause of her sudden apprehension. She jumped and stumbled back a few feet when a low, dark shadow streaked across the roadway a few feet in front of her. With a relieved chuckled she let herself relax. It had only been it a cat. With one final glance about her, and seeing no one else in close proximity, she picked up the pace, still feeling rather foolish for having jumped at shadows._ I'm perfectly safe_, she firmly told herself, though she made sure to keep to the middle of the sidewalk, avoiding the alleyways and whatever trouble might lurk in those ink-black depths.

As fixed as she was on her destination, not more than fifty feet away now, she wasn't aware of anything untoward until a strange smelling cloth appeared out of nowhere and was forcefully pressed against her nose and mouth. At the same instant, a strong arm forcefully pulled her body back, pinning her entire backside against a solid chest. She cried out in alarm, but her voice was sufficiently muffled behind the cloth. She struggled with all her might to break free, but her efforts seemed in vain. She was being held almost completely immobile with her arms pinned to her side by the unyielding arm wrapped around chest. She began to panic, realizing her ability to fight back had been effectively thwarted by her assailant by his hold on her.

Heero's stern voice filtered into her mind through the rising panic, telling her to remain calm and think. He had trained her in many tactics for self defense. With that flash of memory she recalled that her legs and feet were still free and could be used as weapons. Then, just as Heero had instructed, she lifted her right leg up and forcefully brought her foot down in an attempt to injure the top of her attacker's foot, breaking the delicate bones so that whomever held her would let go. Her foot, unfortunately, met only pavement, and painfully so, but the pain was quickly dismissed as panic set in once agin. Her heart was racing with fear as she continued to struggle to free herself. Catching a breath became difficult with her mouth hampered by the cloth, and the pungent odor coming from it was now so overwhelming. Fear, greater than anything she'd experienced in a long, long time, closed in on her waning consciousness. _No!_ She mentally wailed. _Not again! _Unable to utter more than a grunt, she succumbed to the noxious ordor and slumped against her kidnapper. Her last thought was of Milliardo and Heero, thinking both men were going to be very, very angry with her.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Lies - Between Friends & Lovers  
Dyna Dee

See part one for warnings and ... did I write a disclaimer? Probably not, so here goes. I don't own anything in the GW universe, and I haven't made even one red cent from writing about them.

Part 1 - Heero

Piloting his spacecraft to perfectly align with the other Preventer shuttle might have been considered a tricky maneuver for most pilots, but Heero had done it so many times before that he performed the task easily while eating the turkey sub sandwich he'd purchased before leaving the moon's shuttleport. Taking a sip of the bottled water, he moved the controls with his knees, adjusted his approach and lowered the coupling hatch with his elbow. The blinking lights of the craft identical to his own showed that the other pilot was ready to receive him.

Setting his half-eaten sandwich down in the magnetized box, he quickly shut the lid to keep it from floating away then proceeded to connect the two ships. He guided the belly of his craft over the top of the other, using his forward thrusters to slow his advance while opening the coupling hatch. Once the two ships were in position, he shut off the thrusters and released the anchors, locking his ship onto the other. Triggering the coupling unit, he heard a loud clank and a metallic moan as the twin portals locked. A moment later the green light on his operating board reported the two ships had been successfully mated. Knowing from past experience that it would take a good five minutes before the seals between the two hatches were completely secure and the pressure and oxygen adjusted for passage, he relaxed back into his pilot chair and calmly finished his lunch, contemplating the reason for his hasty journey into space.

Pirates.

The commercial thieves were a regular problem afflicting freighters supplying resources to the space colonies. From an agency brief he'd glanced at before leaving the moon, he learned that an apparently well-organized and talented group of raiders frequently beset fully loaded freighters. It seemed highly unusual that the freighters that had been attacked carried no weapons, valuable minerals or expensive electronics, but every day goods, such as food, water, clothing and bedding. These same freighters were always stopped in route from Earth to the colonies or from resource satellites to their respective colony. The second unusual action that separated this group from any other space pirates was that they paid the captain of the attacked ship for the goods seized in credits free of any fingerprints or DNA. Their actions just didn't make sense, and after two years and too few clues and no progress in tracking the group down, Director Une had taken him off his regular detail guarding Relena and other important government officials in order to join the Preventer investigator already in space, presently located at the approximated position of the last raid.

Une voiced her own suspicions, of course, blaming a known criminal element operating the colonial black market. Yet no matter how hard the governments of Earth and the colonies had tried, they just couldn't ferret out evidence backing her suspicions, nor could they completely halt the illicit trade.

The light on his control panel flashed green, signaling that the coupling was complete and the sealing rings connecting the two ships were air tight. He finished off the last bite of his sandwich, swallowed the last of his water and disposed of the bottle before leaning over to activate the anti-grave button on his boots. Once he was assured they were working properly, he unfastened his seat belt and stood up from his chair and moved towards the middle of his ship.

Crouching down, he opened the floor panel and punched in the code to open the bottom hatch, then waited patiently as the metal door slid open with a hiss and a burst of frigid air rushed into the cabin from the connector. He waited patiently until the seal of the other ship opened like a camera lens, then smiled down at his contact waiting below.

Jumping through the short tube, he landed on the lip of the other ship's open hatch and lowered his feet through the opening before dropping down to the floor of the other Preventer shuttle. Straightening, he stuck out his hand to the other man. "Hello, Wufei."

"Welcome aboard, Heero," the ebony haired agent replied with a slight grin, demonstrating his pleasure at meeting his former comrade.

"It's been a while."

"Too long."

"How have you been?"

"Well enough. And you?"

"Good."

"Ah."

The two men had never done simple chit chat well, but after not seeing each other for over a year it seemed only right to ask the customary questions. "Have you had contact with any of the others?" Heero knew that Wufei would know that "others" meant their former comrades. They had been close once, especially just after the end of the Eve War. But the abrupt and disastrous end of his and Duo's relationship had caused a deep rift between the five of them. He had a lot of regrets, but at the top of that list was the fact that he never tried to do anything to repair the damage he'd caused. Being caught up in his work had proven to be the perfect excuse to avoid other aspects of his life.

Wufei nodded in reply to his question. "Quatre and Trowa are on L4, as you probably know. Quatre is busy with his family's business and Trowa acts as his assistant slash bodyguard. I saw them only a month ago and they seem... happy, driven but content."

Heero nodded politely, he was glad the two were doing well, but he hesitated to ask about the other man in their select group of five, knowing that he really didn't have a right to any answers. Wufei seemed to sense his hesitation and apparently decided to save him the trouble of asking. "I haven't spoken to Duo, but I've read enough about him in the gossip pages to know that he's very successful and living life to the fullest."

"I never expected any less," Heero commented, keeping a neutral face. Then raising a quizzical eyebrow, he asked, "You read gossip magazines?"

"Only when I see Duo's picture on the cover page. He seems to be very popular with the tabloids."

A moment of awkwardness passed between the two men before Heero changed the subject. "What more can you tell me about these pirates?"

"Let's sit." Wufei motioned to the seats just behind him. Typically, the Preventer shuttles were smaller than most of their counterparts, designed for speed rather than comfort and able to accommodate up to twelve men. Computers lined both walls of the craft, with cushioned, gray leather seats lined up in front of them, leaving a wide middle aisle that could be used for transport of supplies or emergency passengers. After taking a seat, the Chinese agent turned to the other man once more, all social amenities over as they got down to business.

"As you know, during the past two years there have been steady, systematic attacks on supply freighters flying within specified colony shipping lanes. No doubt you've been informed that the group of thieves attacking these ships are very careful not to endanger the workers as they board and confront the crews. Each boarding follows almost the same M.O. First, warning shots are fired over the freighter's hull and a command to cut their thrusters is issued on the open comm line. The captains and crews interviewed have all indicated that they never saw the marauder's ship coming, and even out of the portholes they saw nothing but space. They were boarded by a group of four to five men wearing dark, unmarked clothing, with masks covering their heads and faces. The raiders come aboard carrying stun guns, knocking out anyone who poses a threat. While several marauders secure whatever cargo in the hold interests them, one of the raiders parleys with the captain of the freighter and then pays him a fair market price in credits for what is taken.

"Word has gotten around the shipping companies that these marauders don't want to hurt anyone, that they're polite and respectful so long as the meet with cooperation. The majority of these companies have urged their employees to cooperate should they be boarded, but to memorize any detail of the raiding crew or ship that might help investigators bring an end to the illegal activity. When asked who they believe was behind the raids, most of the captains answered that they don't know, though several believe the stolen goods are headed for either the lucrative black market to be sold or used for humanitarian aid. Those who thought the latter to be the case also guessed that the raiders boarding their vessels and paying for what they take are acting in a philanthropic nature."

"Philanthropic? How so?"

Wufei nodded and gave his co-worker a knowing look, allowing Heero to come to his own conclusion.

"L2?"

"There are other colonies with citizens living below acceptable standards who would benefit from the food and essential goods stolen from the freighters, but no other colony is under an embargo enforced by UEC military, restricting access to the colony as well as goods and trade."

Heero sighed. The United Earth and Colony government reacted strongly when their representatives, as well as the Preventers stationed there, were forcibly escorted off L2, rejecting the UEC's offer of assistance in bringing order to the colony well known for its lawlessness. Those at the top of L2's pecking order, there by way of brute force rather than elections, had set up their own form of government after the first war. The ruling men and women were rumored be seasoned gang leaders who claimed the entire L2 colony as their territory, to do with as they pleased. Heero had little doubt that the colony was in a serious state now, not only because of the colony's lawless state, but also from two years of living under the unyielding restrictions of the embargo. Needless to say, the shaky and questionable L2 government had, not surprisingly, proven to be less than scrupulous or successful in providing for its citizens by complying with the demands of the UEC.

Colony L2 had been formally warned four years ago about the possibility of sanctions being placed on it if the people failed to develop a more sound government and a society that didn't send a shudder of fear into the neighboring colonies who conducted business with them with great trepidation. One year to the day after the warning had been issued, the threat of embargo became a reality. The trade lines had been blocked, cutting off all transport ships going into and out of the older colony, causing all business within L2 to come to a grinding halt and leaving the citizens of the decrepit colony to fend for themselves. To ease the protesting uproar that emanated from the other colonies, fearful that this unprecedented action might become a trend in dealing with those who didn't fall perfectly in line with the UEC Government, the announcement was made that humanitarian supplies would be sent to L2 to ensure the residents there would have their basic needs met. Of course, they wouldn't be sent luxury goods, but they would be given emergency food surplus, enough to sustain their lives.

Heero had seen the contracts from the food suppliers and the quantities being shipped there left him with little doubt that L2 was receiving the promised, if not scanty, aid. How the humanitarian aid was disbursed on the colony had been left up to the riffraff government that had caused the problem in the first place.

Heero frowned, "My gut instincts tells me L2 is the reason for the marauders' attacks, if indeed they are on a mission of mercy and not profit."

"Perhaps," Wufei said with a thoughtful expression. "But where would these marauders, perhaps L2 citizens themselves, have obtained a spacecraft swift enough and equipped with the type of weapons it's reported to have for these raids? Was there even enough money in all of L2 to commission such a craft?"

"I doubt L2 could have accomplished such a task, being the most economically disadvantaged of the colonies."

Wufei shook his head. "Our intel, which is sketchy at best, seeing that no one has been allowed inside the colony other than to deposit the humanitarian supplies, indicates the original coup d'etat leaders were ousted about the time the raids on the freighters began. Coincidence? We don't know. We've no idea who is governing the colony at the moment, but there's little doubt that they would be able to come up with the financial means necessary to purchase a state of the art spacecraft much less pay for the stolen cargoes. If L2 was poverty ridden before the wars, it could only have become worse once the embargo was put in place. Cutting off trade to that wretched colony had to be a death sentence to a lot of its citizens."

Heero recalled Duo speaking of the crumbling, dilapidated, Alliance-controlled colony he'd grown up on. He'd been a street brat, a name he'd often used in referring to himself and all the other orphans who had no place to live other than in ruined buildings of that colony, huddling together for warmth, comfort and security. From his former lover's descriptions, Heero could only imagine that L2's condition now had to be in worse condition than it had been when Duo lived there. He'd questioned the reasoning behind the embargo at the time it was set into motion, but being a Preventer kept him from voicing his opinion within the realm of politics or in a public forum. He'd tried speaking to Relena and was relieved to learn that she was also against the embargo. Yet with stated regret, she indicated that she was impotent when it came to changing the minds of the more stubborn, powerful politicians' who stood firmly behind the sanctions against L2.

Looking into the dark eyes of his current partner, Heero said, "Show me what information you have on the raids. I'll read through it, analyze the data and see what I can come up with." He was fairly certain that Wufei had studied the information thoroughly and the chances of him coming up with a new angle were slim to none. Still, he'd give it his full attention, knowing that his assignment as an aide to Wufei meant that the other Preventer was frustrated by the lack of progress in solving the crime spree.

Turning his seat around to face the bank of computers, Wufei leaned over to the one in front of Heero and quickly brought up a file labeled "Space Marauders". Heero could see the file was extensive.

"Go ahead and start. The information has been gathered from interviews with crew members from each ship that was boarded by the marauders. It would normally take days to go through two years worth of statements, but you'll soon see that the eyewitness accounts are all similar in nature, making the report easier to read through. I'm hoping you'll be able to see something I haven't."

Heero nodded, then turned his full attention to the screen before him and began reading, only minutely aware of the other agent moving quietly around the shuttle, trying not to be a distraction.

The Preventer shuttles were well equipped with supplies to last a full crew at least a month, so it was no hardship for the two agents to spend two days with their ships connected, studying the marauder's case file. It didn't take long for Heero to realize Wufei's statement was true, that each raid had been carried out with systematic precision. After spending several hours pouring over the data on their third day together, Heero had just gotten to the point of analyzing the information when an urgent message came to both ships; Relena Dorlian Peacecraft had disappeared and both men were ordered to return to Earth immediately to assist in her recovery.

TBC

Author's note: If you can't stand Relena, this may not be the story for you. While she's not the main focus of the story, she is in it a good deal. If it helps, she hasn't got the hots for Heero. Well, not any more, that is.


	3. Chapter 3

Lies - Between Friends and Lovers  
By: Dyna Dee

Part 2 - Relena

Even before she opened her eyes Relena felt dizzy... and nauseous. And what was that repugnant smell? She cautiously stretched out her stiff legs and arms, feeling as if she hadn't moved from the same position for a very long while. She wondered briefly, before waking completely, if she was getting sick. She didn't feel feverish, in fact she was a bit chilled. Forcing her leaden eyes open, she was startled to find herself in a dim, unfamiliar room breathing in strange smelling air. Her ears picked up the distant sounds of life coming from somewhere beyond the room that were so unlike those of her home. Fear and dread seized her as the realization dawned that she was somewhere she shouldn't be. With her heart pounding wildly within her chest, she scrambled to sit up and with wide eyes cautiously surveyed the small room where she'd slept. The dim light that allowed her to see came from a window that appeared to be covered by a thread-bare blanket that was nailed to the upper framework. Clarity came in an instant.

Kidnaped. Again.

It had taken her a long time to get over the experience of being kidnaped by the Barton faction. Though she had been terrified, she'd portrayed herself as being brave, managing to hold her chin up and keep her outward appearance calm, but she had been only seventeen at the time, not quite as naive as she'd been before her adoptive father had been murdered, but still young and trusting. In many ways she had still been an innocent. For months after the final battle she experienced many sleepless nights, plagued by nightmares and the fear of people creeping in the shadows or drugging her food and drink. To think that she might have to go through that again was almost as bad as having been kidnaped.

She closed her eyes, trying to remember how she'd gotten there. She recalled slipping out of her stately home in her dark jeans, sweater and a cap that concealed her hair. The family estate was located in the city's center, so it wasn't too far a walk to her destination. Believing the streets of Sanq to be safe, she'd recalled leisurely walking down the sidewalk once she was well away from the palace and its security guards. She'd always loved the city at night, the sight of lovers casually strolling down the streets, arm in arm, and friends enjoying the theaters and restaurants and most of all, each other's company. She'd planned on going to a nearby convenience store and purchasing a tasty snack. After which she hoped to attend the cinema before returning home.

Then, as if a veil had been lifted from her mind, she recalled being grabbed from behind, a strong, male body pressed against her back and a foul-smelling cloth pressed over her nose and mouth. She remembered being afraid, of panicking and trying to dislodge her attacker, but then everything faded at that point in her memory. She paused for a moment, closing her eyes tightly to try and recall more, but nothing else came to her. She had no memory about who had abducted her or how she'd come to be where she was now. It was a mind-boggling puzzle that left her feeling quite upset and nauseous.

Opening her eyes once more, her gaze lowered and a shocked gasp escaped her; she was not wearing the new black jeans and sweater she'd put on when she'd left her home. She made a quick inspection of the garments covering her body. Instead of the perfectly-fitted casual clothing, she wore a pair of loose, well-worn brown pants that were gathered at her waist by a matching strip of the same material, pulled through the belt loops. The T-shirt covering her upper body looked like it had once belonged to a man. It was long in length, reaching down to mid-thigh, with a crew neck, short sleeves and the fabric was faded from many washings, hinting that it had once been navy in color. She also had on an unfamiliar sweater. It was thick, warm, and a very unappealing brown, similar to mud. It was outdated in style, like it had belonged to someone's grandmother before it had been packed away for several decades. She was also wearing unfamiliar socks that lacked the elastic necessary to hold them up. They were covered by dark tennis shoes that were heavily scuffed and without laces. She briefly checked beneath her clothing and sighed with relief in seeing that at least she'd retained her undergarments. But why had her captors dressed her in such a way? It was unsettling that they had done so while she was unconscious and beyond puzzling why the change was necessary.

Sighing at her hapless set of clothing, her eyes lifted to gaze more thoughtfully around the room she was being held in now that her eyes were more adapted to the dim light. It was horribly shabby. The walls were splotchy and gave the appearance to having once been painted yellow. The paint was faded and peeling away from the wall's surface, and there were even bare patches that exposed the dingy drywall beneath. She was sitting on a thin, sheet-less mattress with two well-worn blankets, one beneath her and the other covering her body. Other than a second dilapidated mattress, set against a different wall and topped with crumpled blankets, the room was bare of any furniture or lights.

She moved as silently as possible to her hands and knees, then rose slowly to stand on unsteady feet, clutching her queasy stomach. She remembered feeling like this when she's awakened after her first kidnaping. She'd been drugged. Moving to the draped window, she pushed the left edge open, hoping to discover where she'd been taken. What she saw outside the pane-less, grimy window was completely foreign to her. It took a moment for her mind to register that she was looking at small space that separated two closely-built structures. Her eyes lowered slowly, counting the windows in the building across from where she stood. Four, she was on the fourth floor. That would make an escape out of the window very dangerous. Jumping was definitely out of the question. From what she could see, the ground below was littered with discarded furniture, or rather, what used to be furniture. She saw at least two chairs without cushions, broken beyond repair, an ancient-looking refrigerator, broken televisions and other odds and ends. It appeared more like a junk yard than an alleyway. A shiver shook her body as she wondered what kind of vermin would be living in such squalidness. Rats, no doubt, and she shuddered at the thought. She hated mice, and rats were worse.

Turning to the only portal that offered either freedom or danger, she moved cautiously to the door and placed her ear against its surface to listen for several moments. She didn't know what to think when she detected no sound, not voices, television or even a radio. Had she been left alone? Her hand trembled as it moved to clasp the worn and dented doorknob. She was prepared to find it locked, securing her within the room, but she had to try it, didn't she? Biting her lower lip she slowly turned her wrist to the right, wincing at the rusted squeak that came from the cautious movement. The door opened slightly and she blinked with amazement by the fact that it wasn't locked after all.

She now faced a new dilemma. What was in store for her on the other side of the door? Was it being guarded or perhaps booby trapped? She took in a shaky breath, girded up whatever strength she had left and inched the door open just enough to peek through the widening crack.

She found herself gazing into yet another dingy room, but it was far from sparse. Along the wall, opposite from where she stood, there appeared to be a large variety of everyday household items, stacked in a haphazard manner from the floor to a foot or two beneath the grungy ceiling. After spending a moment studying the items, she decided that everything visible appeared to be intact, but in such poor condition that they must have been pulled out of the trash, maybe even from the alleyway below. To the left of the room was a rectangular, black and white faux-marble laminated table with five mismatched chairs set around it. To the right of the room sat several wooden crates and a faded sofa, worn and patched in several places, upon which was the room's lone occupant, an older woman who appeared at first glance as if she hadn't a care in the world other than the book in her lap. She was dressed in clothing not dissimilar to Relena's own, though shabby and rumpled. The thin, straggly and mostly gray hair had streaks of faded black in it, suggesting the woman once had sported raven hair. Faded blue and wizened eyes were set on a face that was pale, thin and deeply wrinkled across her forehead and neck as well as around the eyes and mouth. Those eyes suddenly looked up from the book and became fixed on Relena as she stood shell shocked in the doorway, wondering what she should do. Her hesitation seemed to amuse the old woman, for her thin lips twitched upwards at the corners.

"Yur finally awake."

Relena blinked. She wasn't sure what she had been expecting after realizing she'd been kidnaped, but being greeted by an elderly woman wasn't one of the scenarios that had raced through her mind.

"Well, come have a seat."

Mechanically, Relena obeyed, never taking her eyes off the other woman. She sat stiffly at the opposite end of the worn sofa and waited to see what would happen next.

"Cat got yur tongue?" the woman cackled, obviously amused.

Surprised, Relena shook her head and demanded, "Who are you and why have I been brought here?" Even though it was obvious that she'd been kidnaped, she still hoped to learn the reasons behind the abduction.

"I'm Rida, Rida Darbro. 'm one of your flatmates. Your name's Lena, right?"

"Flatmates?" Relena was thoroughly confused. Was that any way to describe a kidnap victim? "Who brought me here and for what reason?" she demanded.

"Why it was Hal Stockton boughts you here. He's one a them guardians. He told me yuz didn't have a place to live so ya've been assigned to this here buildin' and room. Wur sharin' with three others." Seeing the confusion on the young woman's face, the older woman rushed to reassure her. "Now don't worry. We'r decent folk. Wouldn't hurt a damn fly." The woman paused a moment and chuckled as she added, "Well, other than to eat it, that is. And we don't steal from flatmates neither. Yu'll be safe enough storing yur rations and sleepin' here."

Was this a bad dream? Relena couldn't make heads nor tails of what was going on. Had she been kidnapped or not? "Where am I?"

"Section 8, buildin' 24, room 412."

"No, no, I mean where? On Earth or a colony?"

"Ya don't remember?" Rita looked concerned.

"No, I don't."

"Well, dearie, yuz trapped here in the rusting walls of L2, or hell in space, as I likes ta call it." The woman actually chuckled after that statement.

L2! How the hell did she come to be on L2? There was a strict ban on all travel and trade to and from the rebellious colony when the UEC government considered L2 to be beyond redemption. It was reputed to be lawless, corrupt and a den of villainy... and she, apparently, was now trapped here amongst society's worst rejects. She began to break out in a cold sweat, knowing that this colony was, as far as she knew, without any law or order. There was no one to tell of her kidnaping, no law enforcement or communications with other colonies. Her only hope lay in her security team, that is if they'd been able to track her movements. Somehow, she doubted that possibility.

Leaning forward, she moaned as she put her head into her hands. Why in the world had she snuck out for a couple of hours of freedom? She'd been warned by both Heero and her brother the dangers of such covert, seemingly foolhardy activities, but she couldn't help herself. She'd given up so much of her young adulthood that she felt compelled to rebel in some small way, to reinforce to herself, if to no one else, that she was still able to make some choices in her life, that her position in the government didn't rule every aspect of her existence. So when her schedule allowed her a few hours of free time, and knowing Heero had been conveniently called away on Preventer business, she'd snuck out of her security-laden residence with the simple intention of going to a movie, eating junk food and just strolling down the streets of the capital city. She never really felt threatened being out by herself, in fact she enjoyed it, experiencing such a wonderful feeling of liberation that she could hardly wait for the next opportunity to do it again. She had only herself to blame for being kidnaped again, her reckless disregard of the warnings she'd received had put her in this unfortunate position. Now what was she going to do? If indeed she was on L2, a rescue seemed highly unlikely.

Lifting her head up, she gazed intently at the other woman. "Why was I brought here? What's the ransom demand?"

"I tolds ya, you were brought here 'cause you didn't have a place to stay. Sorry ya don't remember, but somebody musta felt sorry for ya and turned ya in. And what's this about a ransom? Who da hell would ask for that when we'z all got nothin'? If you've been taken and it's food dey want, you'd be better off in a 'scape pod without oxygen, honey, cuz nobody's gonna give up their weekly rations for anyone else, 'specially if they're not blood related."

Relena didn't know if the poorly-dressed woman was truly as ignorant of her situation as she seemed to be, but the roll of the aged eyes told her the woman thought it was she was the one who was unbalanced in her mind, not the other way around.

"You don't know who I am, do you?"

"Should I?"

Relena paused to consider that question. No doubt the poor of L2 didn't have many ways of getting information regarding Earth or colonial current events. It was entirely possible that this woman, and possibly many of those living in the embargoed colony, really had no idea of who she was. "Am I free to leave here?"

With an indifferent shrug came the answer, "No one's gonna stop ya,"

The former Queen of the world remained motionless for several moment, trying to judge whether or not to believe the older woman. Rida returned her gaze for a moment, then shrugged her bony shoulders and resumed reading her well-worn book. Thinking to test the woman's words, she stood and turned towards the door she presumed would lead out to a hallway and to freedom. Her hand clasped the doorknob and turned. The aged hinges squeaked loudly, a grating sound to the ears, and once again she was surprised when it opened.

She cautiously poked her head out the open door to check out the dark hallway where one dim lightbulb, hanging from a dangling, single-socket line further down the hall, was the only illumination, showing the battered and paint-peeling doors that lined both side of the long, graffiti-filled hallway. The words and pictures, she noted, were made from what appeared to be black charcoal, not paint. Because of the dim light, she could barely make out the unlit exit sign at the far, right side of the hallway. She couldn't imagine what the stairwells were going to look like if the hallway was so poorly lit.

Pausing before closing the apartment door behind her, Relena caught a last warning from the woman on the sofa. "Don't forget the section, buildin' and room number of dis place. Streets are purdy damn scary when da lights dim for night cycle. And believe me, girlie, ya don't wanna be out dere after dark."

Shutting the door behind her, she noticed the number 412 was boldly written with charcoal on its outside surface. She would remember that. With no small amount of trepidation, she made her way to the door-less opening with the unlit exit sign set above the doorframe. Just as she feared, the stairwell was dark. She studied the few steps she could see from the dim-lit hallway, then grabbed the handrail bolted to the wall before taking the first step down.

Relena never been afraid of the dark before, but her imagination was running wild as she carefully inched her way down the stairs, moving by instinct and touch, feeling her way down the four flights of stairs instead of relying on her eyes to do that for her. She imagined all sorts of nefarious thugs and vile creatures sharing the dark with her, and by the time she reached the bottom floor, her clothing was dampened with sweat and her breathing was heavy from the fear her active imagination had set off. She frantically fumbled at the door for the knob, anxious to escape the stifling darkness. She almost cried with relief when her hand found the doorknob, which she clasped with sweaty palms and turned. In a most un-ladylike move, she virtually flung herself out of the stairwell and into a lobby, or rather something she took for a lobby.

Her eyes widened at seeing at least fifty people, male, female, young and old and all dressed as shabbily as she was, lounging about, sitting or lying on the floor and leaning against the walls. All eyes turned to her at the abrupt entrance, giving her a once-over, scrutinizing glance. Seeing only mild curiosity in their otherwise dull eyes at the appearance of a stranger, they soon looked away, returning to their former conversations or pastime.

Relieved that she hadn't encountered any form of confrontation, Relena took a moment to study her new surroundings. The first thing she noticed was that the lobby lacked any type of furniture, and that the front doors and windows of the building were empty of glass. There was a built-in counter, that might have once been a reception desk. But instead of an attendant in a neat uniform standing there to greet guests, there was written in black charcoal across the front of it, SEC 8, BLDG 24.

Wrapping the ugly brown sweater around herself in an attempt to shield her body from prying eyes, Relena memorized the numbers of her location. She decided it would be better to return to a place where she wasn't considered a prisoner than to subject herself to unknown horrors when the colony's lights dimmed. With wary eyes on the occupants of the room, she made her way to the door and, out of habit, opened it instead of simply stepping through the open space that had once been filled with glass.

Once on the street, she surveyed her surroundings with a sinking heart. The buildings hardly looked sound and some appeared to be crumbling, and the smell... The air was filled with the scents of rusted metal, of body odor and of an indeterminable stench. She fought the gag reflex that was induced by the overwhelming stink, and brought her arm up to cover her face and nose with the sleeve of her sweater. It didn't really help rid her of the smell, but it did lessen some of the most offensive odors.

The next thing she noticed was the lack of noise. It was eerie, being in a city that lacked any sound of traffic. In the distance she could hear a child crying, a woman arguing and a man coughing. It was sobering to think that these were the primary sounds of L2.

With nothing else to do, she began to walk, sleeve still pressed against her lower face, hoping against hope that she might stumble on someone in charge so that she could lodge a complaint and be taken away from this foul place. She walked on, making mental notes of buildings and the numbers prominently etched in black charcoal on each one, marking her distance from the place she'd woken in.

No one seemed to recognize her, nor was she approached or addressed in any way. Being so far from her home and all that was familiar and the people she cared about, she suddenly had an overwhelming feelings of being alone and isolated. Those feeling weren't helped by the fact that there had been no communication with L2 during the embargo, despite the fact that emergency supplies were delivered once a month. She had to wonder if her feelings of isolation and desperation to get off this colony was something all the residents of L2 experienced, seeing that they were cut off from not only Earth, but the other colonies as well.

As she continued appraising her surroundings, another thought came to her. Even though she was free to walk about as she willed, she was still very much a prisoner. She was effectively trapped, along with all the other people living there, in what appeared more or less to be a rotting metal coffin. Whoever had taken her, for whatever reason, had put her in the one place she was certain would not be searched; she would never be found. Tears gathered in her eyes from that dismal thought, and in her mind she railed, Why? Why me? What have I ever done to deserve this?

Suddenly, the lights illuminating the dull and crumbling colony blinked twice, and Relena became aware that the people who had been loitering about the traffic-less street a moment before now began to walk or run very quickly. She could only assume the blinking meant something. Calling out to a woman scrambling past her, she asked, "What do the blinking lights mean?"

"To get yurself the hell inside," the woman snapped back impatiently without stopping. "Night cycle's in three minutes."

Realizing she didn't have much time to make it back, Relena turned and joined the other colonists in walking briskly back to Section 8, building 24, the only place that offered some form of safety. Sensing that her time was running out, she began to run, hoping to make it before the lights dimmed. Somewhat breathless from running, she successfully made it back to the designated building safely, only to find the entrance was clogged by a goodly number of rag-tag people, apparently queuing up at the doorway to the stairs, taking turns going up to what she supposed were their apartments. The thought of being trapped in the confining space and darkness with a bunch of unknown people frightened her, but she didn't see that she really had any other choice.

She'd just stepped through the ineffective front door when the colony's lights suddenly blinked out. Frowning, she knew most colonies faded their lights to simulate dusk and the coming of the night cycle, similar to sunset on Earth. Perhaps the dimming program had malfunctioned, she thought, and then wondered what else was wrong in the neglected colony.

In complete darkness now, Relena instinctively put her hands out in front of her to feel her way towards the direction of the stairs. Despite the large number of people jammed into the room, it was oddly quiet, as if the darkness had clamped down on the voices of not only the lobby, but of the entire population within the colony. She bumped into someone larger than herself and her fingers told her he was wearing a rough jacket. "Sorry", she said softly and received a grunt in reply. After a few moments the sounds of shuffling feet rose amongst the quiet as did the barely audible murmuring of the crowd. Feeling a body pressing up against her back, she took a step forward and bumped into the person in front of her. Within moments the press of other bodies all around her became almost overwhelming, the closeness bringing the nauseating smell of unclean flesh. Since no one seemed to be protesting the stench, she did her best to ignore it and let the shuffling of those surrounding her direct her movements. She moved forward, taking several small steps each time, until a thump sounded. The person in front of her whispered, "Door", alerting her to its presence.

Continuing to follow the faint sounds and footsteps, she finally entered the enclosed stairwell and realized with a bit of panic that she had no idea how to recognize the fourth floor in the dark. Would the light be on in the hallway when she reached that landing?

"Grab my coat," the man in front of her said at about the same time Relena felt her sweater being clutched by the hem. Relena realized she had become one in a chain of humans, all engaged in the difficult act of climbing a pitch-dark stairway. She concentrated on each step, trying not to step on the feet in front of her and avoiding those behind, following just as closely. Their climb was slow and halting. The line made several turns before the person in front of her paused and a faint voice ahead of her called out something she couldn't quite catch. A moment later the line moved again.

She hated to ask for help but felt she had no other choice. She'd never find the correct floor or room without some directions, and these people seemed to know where they were going. "Pardon me." She tugged on the rough coat in her hand. "I'm new here and I need to go to the fourth floor. Can you help me?"

"I get off on the third," the man in front of her stated.

"I live on the fourth so I can help you," a timid male voice called out from behind her. He sounded close, so she figured it was the person holding onto her sweater who had volunteered to help.

"Thank you."

And so they climbed upward, the many shuffling feet marking the only sound other than the occasional comment of, _Here's my floor_. The man in front of her paused. "My floor," he stated. Relena let go of his coat, sensing that was the reason for the declaration.

"I'll lead," the man just behind her said, his voice sounding unsure. She pressed herself close to the railing in order to let him pass. Once he came around to the step above her, he waited until she reached forward to touch his back. She grabbed a fistful of coarse fabric and felt another hand from behind grab onto her sweater and the collective group began the climb up the stairs once again.

"Here we are," the man before her said after pausing in the open doorway. Over her shoulder, Relena related that information to the person behind her, and felt her sweater released. She was pleased to see that the dim lightbulb hanging from the center of the hallway was still on, illuminating just enough light for her to see her guide. At first glance she decided the tall man wasn't young, but neither was he old. His head was covered with thick and oily brown hair that fell raggedly past his shoulders. His face was thin, gaunt, and covered with a coarse beard. He might have been considered handsome once, she thought, though the beard could be hiding some facial flaw. The one feature he had that caught her attention was his eyes. They were large, brown and had a soft, understanding look to them.

"What room?" he asked.

"Four twelve."

A slight smile teased his chapped lips, exposing teeth that were dull and yellow. "Hello," he said in a shy manner. "I'm Kirk, one of your flatmates."

TBC

Author's note: Thanks for all the comments and reviews, I hope you continue to enjoy the story. There probably won't be another update until the weekend, if then. My proofreader, like me, is on vacation. More of the former gundam pilots will make an appearance in the next chapter.


	4. Chapter 4

Lies- Between Friends and Lovers  
By Dyna Dee  
Part 3.

Preventer Director, Lady Annika Une

With eyes focused on the computer screen in front of her, the Director of the Preventer Organization held the phone to her ear by pressing it between her hunched up shoulder and the tilt of her head. On the other end of the line was a harried Agent Housner, voicing his concerns while she shuffled a large stack of papers on her desk into some semblance of order. "I understand that I'm asking a lot," she interrupted the man. "But with each hour that passes the trail gets colder. I expect your completed report on my desk no later than nine a.m. tomorrow morning. No, I don't care if you and your partner stay up all night. Ask Agents Hadly and Varouk to assist if you think you need more help." With a frown on her face, she removed the phone from under her ear and placed it back on its receiver and turned her attention once more to the data in front of her.

No more than thirty seconds passed before she was interrupted once again by the buzz of the intercom on her desktop. Sighing at yet another interruption, she reached out and pressed the button that activated the tiny microphone. "Yes, Violet." She released the button.

"Agents Peacecraft and Noin are here to see you."

Pushing it down again, she replied, "Send them in."

Swiveling her chair to a forward position, she straightened her posture and faced the door just as the two familiar agents walked in. She nodded to them as Noin shut the door and Milliardo took one of the seven chairs she'd placed in front of her desk for the upcoming meeting.

"Have you learned anything new?" the blond man asked, his eyes dark rimmed from lack of sleep and his face lined with worry.

"No. I've just spoken to Agent Housner and he compiling a list of departing passenger lists gathered from the airlines, train and bus companies in the city. He assures me that the complete list and his report will be ready tomorrow morning. I'm afraid, however, that his initial assessment shows no sign of Relena leaving the city. Without a ransom note or reliable witnesses we're left to wonder whether or not she was kidnaped or if she has simply run off."

The blue eyes became glacial with anger. "She didn't run away and you know it."

"Zechs," Lucretia said softly as she took the seat next to her husband and put a reassuring hand on his arm. "You know Anne doesn't truly believe that, but from what we found in her rooms as well as the security tapes, it's clear that Relena wasn't taken by force. We can only conclude that she slipped out again while Heero was away. We know she's more responsible than to leave the city without saying anything. She wouldn't do that to you. Relena loves you too much to worry you needlessly."

The blond man leaned forward, bent his head and ran his fingers through his long white hair, clearly upset by his sister's disappearance. "Then why did she steal away from the mansion in the dead of night after I warned her about the dangers of doing so? She obviously didn't believe me when I told her that she would be a walking target for anyone with a grudge against the government."

"She's young, restless and sometimes feels burdened by her over-scheduled life. It's her small way of rebelling."

"Her small act of rebellion may well have endangered her life."

The director cleared her throat, reminding the other two that she was present. Two sets of eyes turned to her expectantly. She glanced at the clock on her desk. "I've requested Heero, Wufei and their three former comrades to meet with us this morning to discuss the possibility of their working on this case."

"You're kidding?" Zechs said with an expression of open disbelief on his face. "I'd expect Heero and Wufei to show up on demand and accept the assignment, but the other three? They haven't stepped foot in Preventers since Yuy and Maxwell's breakup five years ago."

"Relena's well being might prove to be more important than their personal squabbles," Une stated in her usual calm and rational manner.

The intercom buzzed on her desk. Une hit her button and after hearing who was awaiting entry to her office, she told her secretary to let them in. Heero Yuy and Chang Wufei entered the room and took their seats after exchanging polite greetings with the other three as well as the proper expressions of worry for Relena. Yet before any further discussion could begin, the com buzzed once more. A moment later Trowa Barton and Quatre Winner walked through the door. The closing of that door signaled to those already present that there was yet one person missing from the summoned group, the last former gundam pilot.

"Where's Maxwell?"

"He's not coming," Barton stated in a matter-of-fact tone as he took a chair next to his life partner.

"And why not?" Une snapped. It wasn't often that the Head of Preventers extended a personal invitation to meet with a civilian only to be turned down in such an impolite way.

"He's busy."

"Too busy posing for photographers?" She hadn't meant to sound so judgmental, but her tone clearly indicated her distaste for Duo Maxwell's chosen profession.

"Who are you to judge him?" Trowa asked, sounding and appearing calm even though his green eyes, blazing with offense, spoke differently.

Quatre reached out to take the brunet's hand, effectively distracting his lover with that slight touch before turning to address the woman behind the desk. "Duo has an occupation that keeps him very busy. He was unable to cancel a contracted job to come halfway across the planet only to say no thank you to whatever it is you're about to propose. He's made no secret of the fact that he doesn't wish to work for Preventers in any capacity. I think you should honor his decision."

The director was anything but pleased by Quatre's statement. Relena's kidnaping was Preventers' top priority at the moment, and the longer they delayed getting a first-rate team on the case the more their chance of successfully finding and rescuing her diminished. She thought it was best to cut her losses at the moment and deal with the four young men present. Addressing her comments specifically to Quatre and Trowa she said, "I would like to extend to you an invitation to join with us in finding Miss Relena. Heero and Wufei are being assigned as the lead investigators, charged with discovering the reason for her sudden disappearance and with returning her safely home."

"What about the other case I've been assigned to?" Heero asked, careful not to say anything about the investigation of the space raiders in front of the two, non-Preventers.

"Set it aside for a couple of days. With any luck we'll receive a ransom note and deal with the kidnapers in a prompt and efficient manner, safely retrieving Miss Relena."

"Who leaked this to the press?" Wufei asked, frowning at the breach in protocol.

"Dorothy." Une sighed deeply, honestly disappointed in the blonde. "I swear that girl enjoys stirring things up, regardless of the consequences."

"She derives a sense of power by manipulating others as well as orchestrating circumstances," Trowa offered. He didn't seem to be passing any kind of judgement, good or bad, on the young woman, only an observation, which Une found she couldn't deny the man was right on the mark.

"May I assume by your presence here that you don't share the same opinion as Mr. Maxwell? That you are willing to become a part of our team?"

Quatre's confident manner was apparent to everyone present as he answered, his eyes locked with hers. "No, you may not assume that is the case. I have a large corporation to run which employs thousands of individuals. Their livelihoods depend on how well my family's company is run, that it remains successful. I need to be present to insure that it does. Trowa is my right hand and I can't possibly spare him to work on this investigation either. However," Quatre paused, demonstrating that he could effectively maintain an audience's attention when all in the room waited for him to continue. "We're not unsympathetic to Miss Relena or unconcerned by her sudden disappearance. If we can be of some assistance in finding her, offering shelter to your agents, contacts or passage to any of the colonies, we'll do our best to be accommodating."

Une stifled a sigh. This was much less than what she'd hoped for even though she knew there was a pretty good chance that the three former gundam pilots - rumored to be estranged from the other two - would not jump at the chance to work for Preventers. They'd apparently moved on with their lives, considering themselves having done their bit for the human race and for peace. "Then it seems I've wasted your time."

"Not at all," Quatre said with a very slight, polite smile. "I couldn't assume that you would believe me nor the strength of my conviction to not be involved in Preventer business unless we spoke face to face. We now have a clear understanding of each other."

Indeed we do, thought Une. She stood from her chair an offered the blond businessman her hand. "Then I won't keep you any longer. I appreciate you coming here and your offer of assistance. I'll contact you should the need arise."

The blond and brunet stood from their seats, clasped hands releasing in order to shake hands with Preventers' Director. Then with a polite nod of their heads in farewell to Milliardo and Noin, they turned to their former comrades. Once again, Quatre spoke for the both of them. "It's good to see you again, but it's definitely been too long, Heero and Wufei. I hope in the near future we'll find an opportunity to meet again and catch up on each others' lives."

Both former gundam pilots rose to their feet and shook hands with their former comrades. "I'd like that," Wufei stated, the corners of his mouth inching upwards.

Heero nodded. He sensed that Quatre's comments were intended to be an olive branch. Grateful for any opportunity to repair the rift between himself and those he'd considered friends, he replied sincerely, "I would welcome such a meeting."

The two visitors bid them all a final farewell and then hastily removed themselves from the room.

Resuming their seats, all eyes and full attention returned to Director Une. With the civilians gone, it was back to business as usual. "Alright, let's focus on what facts we do have regarding Relena's disappearance."

"Ransom demand?" Wufei asked.

"No. Nothing yet." Une responded.

The Chinese man's brow furrowed. "Have there been any threatening letters, calls or suspicious individuals hanging around her home or office?"

"Not any more than usual," Heero spoke up. "And nothing that stands out as a viable threat, although we don't discount any of them.

Une asked, "Do we know of anyone who might have a grudge against her?"

"There's always someone who disagrees with her politics," Wufei commented.

"How about on a more personal level?" Une persisted.

Heero turned to the Chinese agent, and to the other three agents it seemed as if a question passed between the two men. With some reluctance Heero said, "Duo used to hold a grudge against her. He was openly resentful and angered when she continued to chase after me during the war and dismissed our relationship as nothing more than soldiers relieving themselves of stress and natural urges." Zechs coughed, looking uncomfortable with the details regarding Heero's former relationship with Duo and Relena's less than appropriate behavior during that time. "I can't say for certain, but I doubt his feelings for her improved over the years, even though I've not spoken to him in the five years since our breakup. Duo was more than capable of holding onto a grudge."

Une nodded thoughtfully. "Their past merits investigation. See if Mr. Maxwell can account for his whereabouts during the time of the kidnaping."

"Are we sure she was kidnaped? That she didn't just take off, fed up with everything?" Wufei questioned, looking to Zechs for an answer.

"By all appearances she left her rooms at the estate wearing black jeans and a sweater of the same color. The video that caught a glimpse of her in the garden also shows her wearing a billed cap."

"Have the hospitals been checked for any accident victims?" Wufei wondered.

"We're checking every hour on the hour," Noin answered. "Also, the agency is currently gathering information on all venues of transportation: the train and airport terminals, bus, taxi logs and car rental agencies. Anything that looks suspicious is being double-checked as we speak."

"The full report will be available in the morning," Une added.

Wufei looked at Heero and frowned. "That's not much to go on."

"Since the public has been made aware of her sudden disappearance, has an appeal been made for any information that might clue us in to where she went that night?" Heero asked.

"Yes," Une replied. "However we've gotten the usual calls, asking about a reward for information. Everyone and their dog seems to have seen someone who looked her that night, but no one can tell us for certain what she was wearing."

"Other than Duo, are there any toes that she's stepped on recently, politically or personally?" Wufei asked. "Could her kidnaping be a type of retribution by some political party she's voted against or an angry suitor?" "Relena hasn't dated anyone recently, so I doubt that is a consideration. As for politics, there's always someone offended by one politician or another," Zechs answered. "But why Relena? There are many more influential politicians to kidnap in order to influence a vote or make a statement."

"She's very persuasive," Heero said, thinking of the many times he listened to the young woman use honest candor and youthful appeal into successfully urging politicians to see her side of things. "I know that there were several important votes coming up in the Parliament next week that she's spoken to various politicians about. I'll speak to Mr. Keys to see if there was anything in particular that is groundbreaking or controversial."

Une nodded her approval. "He's been her mentor for the last couple of years and he's phoned every day since he heard the news of her disappearance to see if he can be of assistance. He's assured me he will make himself available whenever needed."

"What would you have me do?" Zechs asked, worry lines visible across his forehead.

"You will assist Chang and Yuy, especially in the event that they are called off planet. But you are not, I repeat, not to be in a decision making role. You're too close to this to be objective."

"And Yuy's not?"

Une's gaze drifted back to the dark haired young man in question. "Heero?"

"Relena and I have a working relationship and a casual friendship. I believe I'm more than capable of focusing my abilities on finding her without emotions hampering my judgement."

A sardonic humph came from the blond. A glare from Une silenced the man from making any disparaging comments about Agent Yuy's ability to project the facade of an emotionless robot. She knew better. Back to Heero she said, "You're the lead detective in this case, but I expect you to continue working with Wufei on finding these vexatious marauders. Use Zechs and Noin to do your footwork here on Relena's case if anything in the investigation regarding the raiders turns up. All Preventer resources are at your disposal in both cases. Let's find Relena and bring her home safely and bring these raiders to justice." Heero nodded, understanding he was to give both investigations equal attention. Multi-tasking was not beyond his skills.

"Keep me updated regularly," Une concluded while picking up one of the many files on her desk; an unspoken end to the discussion.

Understanding that the meeting had come to an end, Heero and Wufei stood, Zechs and Noin following suit. "Good luck," Une called out as the four agents exited the room, their minds already focusing on the task before them.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

Warnings and disclaimers on first page of story, I think

Lies Between Friends and Lovers  
Dyna Dee  
Part 4

Relena looked down at the worn and faded outfit she was wearing and felt the knot tighten in her stomach, realizing this was her only change of clothing other than a large nightshirt Rida had given her. She felt... Well she wasn't sure what she was feeling other than stunned. She'd been kidnaped from the streets of Sanq and was left, abandoned, on colony L2. How ironic. She'd always enjoyed a life of privilege, sometimes pampered to the point of being called spoiled, and now she'd been sent by some unknown person or group to live freely amongst the poorest of the colonies. It was like waking up to a nightmare. But she was no shrinking violet, she told herself firmly. She would not give into her fears, tears or hysterics. She had more fortitude than that, having lived through more than any other young women her age that she was acquainted, with the exception, maybe, of Dorothy Catilonia.

An open foil package was placed in her hands. She looked up to see Rida smiling a toothless grin at her. "Eat up, dearie. But I 'spect you to pay me back as soon as you get yur rations."

"Rations?"

"Food. Ya gotta go to the food station ta get um." The thin older woman, severely bent forward at the waist, a condition Relena could only guess was caused by osteoporosis, hobbled across the room to the wall of stacked items. Reaching in, she pulled something out of the chaos then turned and came back to her. "This is yurs." In her hand was a discolored and well-used laminated index card with the letter F and number 3 printed on it with a black marker. There was a string pulled through two hole punches and knotted, looking as if the card was to be worn around the neck. Looking curiously at the older woman, she accepted the card and said, "I don't understand."

"Everyone here gots a card. Ya can't get no food without it. Since ya don't got any babies, you gets a lower day, which is Friday. The card says ya can get yur grub from the food station on that day and the number three means yur not a parent and alone, like me!" The toothless grin was back. Relena shuddered.

"When's Friday?"

"Tamarra. We can go tagether if ya wants."

"Ah... sure. You can show me where this food station is."

The older woman looked pleased, then motioned to the food container in Relena's hands. "Eat up."

Relena warily studied the food she'd been given. She wasn't sure what it was, but it appeared to be some sort of white meat smothered in a pale gravy. Chicken or maybe even turkey, she guessed. A spoon appeared in her line of vision. It had streaks of some substance on it, suggesting it had been used lately and not thoroughly washed.

"Yuz can borrow it, but give it back. It's kinda hard to eat summa da rations without it."

Realizing the woman was being generous, Relena accepted the flatware. "Thank you," she murmured, and was grateful when Rida turned and went back to search through her pile again. Using her breath to steam the surface of the spoon, she quickly wiped it with the edge of her shirt until it looked relatively clean. Fighting her natural hesitance, she put the utensil into the unseemly goo and daintily scooped up a small amount to take a cautious taste. Ugh, it was as horrible as she imagined it would be. The meat was mushy and flavorless and the colorless gravy tasteless. It was cold, but somehow she didn't think heating it up would improve the taste. Her instincts told her to dispose of the food. Better to be hungry than to eat the questionable substance, right? Then again, she was desperately hungry. She'd been abducted from the streets of Sanq on Tuesday night, which meant she'd been swiftly taken from there and flown to this colony, losing a little more than a day, waking up on Thursday afternoon. A day and a half without food could make almost anything look good. Well, almost. Sensing that there was not going to be anything else offered and that Rida giving her food from her own stores was indeed a kind gesture that she couldn't disregard, she really had no choice but to accept the inevitable and eat, just for the sake of not starving. After all, if the questionable substance lacked any flavor, it couldn't be completely bad, could it?

Even though she'd always practiced eating slowly, consuming the unappetizing food quickly seemed to be the best method to successfully getting it down her throat. Looking up, she could see her two roommates were occupied with their own meals. She paused a moment, looking at the two. She was fairly certain the younger man and older woman weren't a couple, so why were they roommates? Were they related? Where were the other two who were supposed to share this small living space with them? She decided to hold her questions until after they finished eating; it seemed the polite thing to do. With a deep breath she began.

At last Kirk looked up and noticed her empty container. "You should eat slower," he advised while lifting a bent, half-filled spoon to his lips.

"I was hungry."

"Get used to it," the man mumbled, though not unkindly. "Those of us stuck here in this dump are always hungry."

Since he'd begun the conversation, Relena decided to try and get a few answers to her questions. "Are you two related?"

Kirk choked on the little bit of food in his mouth and Rida snorted through her nose. "Na, what makes ya think so?" the older woman asked with an amused chuckle.

"I was just curious as to why you're both living together."

"We were assigned, just like you." Kirk answered.

"And the other two?"

Rida shook her head. "Havoc and Gian. They're not related either, but we all look after Gian see'in she's in a family way."

"Pregnant?"

"Yup."

"Where's the father?"

"Dead, I hope, in some gutter wid his ball ripped off, 'is dick cut off and shoved up his arse," Rida spat angrily, her formally friendly attitude doing a complete turnabout.

Relena blinked at the woman, wondering why she would wish something so horrible on the girl's husband. "Is her husband that bad?"

"Husband!" shrieked the older woman, her rheumy eyes widening. She then turned her head and spat upon the floor.

"It's not for us to tell Gian's story," Kirk spoke up, giving the older woman a reprimanding glare. Then to Relena he said, "If she wants to tell you, she will."

A few awkward moments passed before Relena could gather her wits enough to ask another question. "So what do you do during the day on L2? Do you have an occupation?"

"Occ-u-pa-tion?" Rida asked as if she'd never heard the word.

"A job, you know, to make money."

A cackle was her response from the woman. It was Kirk who answered her question. "There's no money on L2 and very few jobs. We collect our food from the food station nearest us and then wait for the next week when it's our turn to go again."

"You mean to tell me everyone on L2 sits around all day and does nothing?" The idea was so foreign to her that she couldn't comprehend it.

Kirk responded, "There's some who maintain the environment controls, and most buildings have been told by the guardians to dispose of their rubbish on a weekly basis. So a couple of volunteers spend time at the sanitation and refuse disposal station, but they don't get paid with creds, only a few added ration packs."

With growing dismay, the reality of her situation began to set in, that she'd been sent, for a reason unbeknownst to her, to live on a dying colony. Surely these poor people, who had no occupation and lived solely for their weekly ration allotment, were doomed. No doubt boredom derived from such idleness would help lead to their demise and sense of hopelessness. "With no occu... no jobs, what does everyone do all day?"

"We survive and stay away from those who cause trouble," Kirk said, suddenly looking so very weary of life's struggle.

"I read," Rida added, holding up a battered paperback. "I dun know half a da words, but I can kinda make out da story anyways. I'm ed-ja-cating m'self," she said proudly. "Can ya read?"

"Yes, I can."

"Would ya read ta me sometimes?"

"I'd be happy to." It was the least she could do, Relena thought.

The door opened to the dim lit room and in came a very pregnant and tired looking woman followed by a hard-faced older man whose expression gave Relena the impression that he was ready to kill someone. She could only hope it wasn't her.

Brief introductions were made and Relena was given a moment to study the two newcomers. Gian was wisp thin, despite her bulging belly. She had straggly, dirty blonde hair that was unbrushed and tangled. Her eyes looked sunken, matching her hollowed cheeks. She gave the appearance of someone who had never known happiness. Havoc, the sour-faced man, was short in stature and carried an air of disdain. He had a don't-mess-with-me attitude that commanded respect. His face was pale and yet weathered with a snub nose and small eyes set in a face covered with a dark beard that matched his nearly black and messy shoulder length hair. His demeanor was intimidating and unfriendly. Relena wished for an uncluttered corner where she could tuck herself into to get away from the glare the older man was sending her way.

She watched the two newcomers locate, open and eat their rations without speaking a word, and from her viewpoint the pregnant woman had a slightly larger portion of food than the others. She wondered at that, but refrained from asking. Rida approached her with a book which Relena politely accepted. Before reading even one word, she could tell from the rather risque picture on the worn book cover that it was a romance novel from sometime around the era of AC 10, when the colonies were still in the developing stages and slowly being populated. Of course she'd never read this story before, but an idealistic romance, so far removed from the reality of L2's present rundown and desperate state, was no doubt a source of escape for the older woman. Having read a few books of this nature while on vacation, she knew that the love portrayed in this type of story was never an easy one or uncomplicated, but the ending was always happy with lovers finding everything they wanted in a mate and a happy-ever-after conclusion. She had little in common with the helpless female in this particular story, herself being more pragmatic and now a disbeliever of love at first sight.

A little voice in her head reminded that she hadn't always felt that way, and she still felt embarrassed when recalling her past actions. She'd most definitely learned some hard lessons in her youth, chasing after a boy who turned out to be gay and uninterested in a romantic relationship her juvenile heart dreamed of. And given her current circumstances, she feared she might never have anything close to a happily ever after. Her thoughts on the subject only served to make her feel more depressed. The story did, however, seem to have the opposite effect on Rida and Gian, who wore dreamy smiles on their faces the entire time she read.

"Yur a smart one, aren't ya?" Rida asked after Relena passed the book back to her.

"I'd like to think so, but sometimes I wonder," she answered with a weary sigh and thought that if she were so smart, she'd be able to figure out how to get off this godforsaken colony.

The single light suspended from the ceiling above blinked and Relena's four roommates rose from their places at the table and sofa. Rida started for the room Relena had been told was the water closet. It was hardly a proper bathroom. From what she'd been told there was a sink and it had running water, that is if you could call a weak trickle running water. There was a shower stall, which she was told didn't work, and a toilet that could only be flushed once a day. Water was strictly rationed on the derelict colony. Rida had told her, in a most serious manner, that Kirk was the designated "flusher", and he would perform his duty after everyone had finished for the night. The idea of being closed up in that repugnant smelling room with the full commode made the awful dinner she'd eaten earlier threaten to rise up her esophagus.

Once Rida exited the dreaded room and retired quietly with her book to the bedroom, Gian took her turn. Relena was left to wait with the two men for her turn at the facilities. After several minutes, the door opened again and Gian came out looking a little green. She also turned and made her way to the bedroom without so much as a goodnight. It was Relena's signal that the room was all hers.

"You're next," Havoc said gruffly, still scowling at her. "Have you ever rationed water before?"

Relena paused on her way to the bathroom door. "No."

"I'll show you."

The man rudely pushed past her to enter the room first. Following, she almost gagged from the smell of waste and urine that assaulted her nose. Putting her hand over her nose and mouth, she crossed the doorway. The small room was lit in a similar manner as the front room, with a single bulb hanging from a cord from the ceiling. "Put your hand under the tap," Havoc ordered, refocusing her attention to the matter at hand.

Bristling at being spoken to in such a rude manner, Relena nevertheless did as she was told, putting her right hand under the spout. Havoc turned on the water just enough to wet her palm then turned it off. "Wash."

"That's it?" she asked, astonished by what he was suggesting.

"That's it."

"I can't possibly get clean with so little water," she protested.

"Welcome to L2... _princess_."

Relena's eyes shot to the older man's face. "You know who I am?"

The man snorted. "Of course I do. I'm not uneducated like Rida and Gian. I was a sweeper during the war and read all about you becoming Queen of the World." A smug sneer came to the man's face. "How the mighty have fallen."

Thinking she might finally get some answers, she asked, "Do you know who brought me here?"

The man's eyes narrowed. "I've got a pretty good idea, but no, I'm not privy to that information."

Contemplating his answer for a moment, she figured she had nothing to lose by asking for help. "Can you help me get back to Earth?"

The man's bark of laughter seemed cruel, and bounced off the walls of the shabby, awful smelling washroom. "If I could get anyone off this rotting hunk of junk, you'd be the last one I'd give the privilege to."

The rancor emanating from the man alarmed her. "But why? I haven't done anything to you!"

"Haven't you?"

"Of course I haven't."

The man's frown of disapproval persisted. "As far as we're concerned, if you're not our friend, you're our enemy. I don't know whether or not you're part of the reason we're all starving here, but you obviously haven't done much to help us either."

"The sanctions placed on L2 had to do with your colony's refusal to create order and deal with its wanton disregard for the law."

"During my travels as a sweeper I saw that evil exists everywhere, not just on L2. What about those places on Earth where criminals and gangs work in the shadows and undermine the very laws you accuse us of breaking? Do you starve the whole planet to punish the few?"

"Of course not," Relena answered with a dismissive wave of her hand. "But L2 was one step from anarchy. No one could come here with the intention of doing business without being put in danger. Commerce between L2, the colonies and Earth, could not be conducted in a safe manner, and so the sanctions were set up, in part, to stop others from coming here and becoming victims to the corruption that runs rampant."

The former sweeper shook his head. "And I suppose you believe all that rubbish you just touted?"

"Of course."

"I think before you leave here, princess, that is if you ever do, you might just change your mind." With that pronouncement made the older man turned on his heel to leave. But before exiting the door completely, he stopped, and over his shoulder he said, "If I were you I'd used the name Lena, which was the name Rida was given when you were delivered here. Others might not have the same tolerance for your presence as I do." He left her then, alone in the stinky room with his warning hanging heavy in the fetid air.

The door shut and she looked warily at the closed lid toilet, knowing that she really had no choice but to lift the dreaded lid. She went about her business as quickly as possible, but it was a little too late before she realized there was no toilet paper. Frantically searching the room for something appropriate to use, her eyes landed on a small stack of roughly torn pieces of paper. No doubt it was all the residents of L2 had available to clean their more private areas after using the facilities. She cringed as she applied the rough paper to her delicate skin. With a sinking feeling she had little doubt that this was just the beginning of a long and uncomfortable stay.

She found herself sharing a mattress with Rida and Gian who, because of the latter's extended belly, took up a good part of the allotted space. Relena comforted herself with the thought that at least she had her own blanket, which she wrapped around her body as the five roommates settled in for the night.

An unknown amount of time passed as she lay awake, sleep alluding her because of the unfamiliar sounds coming from her flatmates. Havoc had just begun to snore while Rida wheezed with every intake of breath and a whistling sound, presumably from her nose, came with every exhale. Gian moaned every once in a while. Relena was somewhat relieved that Kirk wasn't adding to the noise.

Closing her eyes, she fought off the overwhelming need to cry over her current wretched state_. _She was far from home and everything familiar and no one knew where she was or what she was going through. She was hungry, cold and she itched everywhere at the mere thought of unseen bugs living within the mattress or on her unkempt bed mates_. _She sniffed back the unwanted tears threatening to spill, thinking_, I'm as strong as these people. And if they aren't crying, then I can't allow myself that luxury either_. With the steady sounds of sleep coming from the others, she continued to lay there, worrying about what the future held in store for her. It seemed a very long time before she finally succumbed to sleep, her only means of escape at the moment from her current dilemma.

TBC

Author's note: Is any one else having problems being notified by email of reviews? I've informed support of this problem, but nothing has happened. scratches head Can't figure out what's wrong. BTW, thanks for your reviews. Next chapter is Heero's POV.


	6. Chapter 6

Lies Between Friends and Lovers  
Dyna  
Part 5

Heero and Wufei spent the next couple of days reviewing the data acquired from incoming calls to the Preventer hotline, specifically dedicated to gathering any information about Relena's disappearance. After weeding through the calls, they made a list of the names and numbers of those individuals considered to be the most promising. From that list Noin and Milliardo began the task of setting up interviews with those individuals who they believed to be legitimate eyewitnesses.

A taxi driver reported picking up a young woman in dark clothing, something similar to what Relena had worn the night of her disappearance, according to the security cameras. The driver stated that he took the young woman to the city center where she paid cash and bid him good evening. Another possible sighting came from a waiter from one of the city's many cafés, who called the hotline to say he'd witnessed a young woman with a blond ponytail passing by as he served his customers. He recalled thinking that she resembled Ms. Peacecraft, yet at the time he'd believed it was merely someone who bore a strong resemblance to she was dressed in clothing he'd never seen the princess wear in pictures or on television.

. Those two reports were the more credible of all the calls they'd received, and so the four diligent Preventers turned their focus to any calls that came from around the downtown area where those two sightings had taken place. Other than a few wildly exaggerated accounts by people who were obviously looking for their five minutes of fame, there were no other clues to what happened to the young woman who reportedly passed the café, or the one who left the taxi cab. With no additional information forthcoming, nor clues or ransom demands, it seemed as if Relena had simply dropped off the face of the planet.

After analyzing all the gathered data, which was small despite the mountain of paper work they'd accumulated, they came to the point of having to decide on what direction the investigation should go. Frustrated, Heero turned to his partner. "I think perhaps we should go back to Une's suggestion of speaking with Duo, as well as any employees terminated from the Peacecraft mansion in the past year and those individuals or groups who were vocally opposed to her political views."

Wufei's eyes narrowed. "I agree with following up on those you mentioned, with the exception of Maxwell. Duo has moved on with his life and she's a part of his past. Even if he retained some resentment towards her, why would he jeopardize a very successful career to get back at her? It just doesn't seem like anything the boy we used to know would do."

"He detested her for well over a year. And if you recall, Duo held onto his grudges a long time."

"He was young, hotheaded and impetuous back then, just like we were. He's a grown man now and no longer in competition with her for your affections."

"There never was any competition, as far as I was concerned, and I never gave him any reason to doubt me. His jealousy was something of his own making."

Wufei shook his head. "Whether you believed his resentment was justified or not, you can't deny that Relena single-mindedly pursued you, and she became Duo's competition because she could offer you everything he couldn't: wealth, social status, material possessions, a home and family."

Drawing his hand through his thick head of hair, Heero sighed. He never felt comfortable talking about the past, especially when it concerned his failed relationship with Duo. "I never said I wanted any of those things, Wufei. I just wanted peace, an end to the fighting and war... and Duo."

The Chinese man regarded the other Preventer a moment before asking, "Do you really believe Duo would kidnap her because of past feelings?"

"It doesn't matter what I personally think," Heero replied somberly. "We have to rule out all possibilities, great and small."

Regardless of Wufei's objections, the two men were on a flight to New York that evening, with Duo Maxwell's address printed on a piece of paper and secured in Heero's shirt pocket.

The problem with long plane rides, Heero thought, is that unless he wanted to watch a movie suitable for family viewing, there was much too much time for thinking, and for his part, thinking about the past. Considering the person they were going out of their way to interview, he couldn't help his thoughts from centering on Duo and wondering about the type of reception he might receive from his former lover. Granted, he didn't expect an open-arm greeting. No, he'd hurt Duo too much to expect that, and if the other man took a swing at him, he wouldn't be surprised.

Closing his eyes, he conjured up an image of Duo in his mind. His memory supplied a picture of the younger and much smaller American, as he'd been at the beginning of the wars when they'd first met. Then came the image of a handsome, taller and more filled out seventeen-year-old pilot at the end of yet another war. In his mind's eye he could see the trim body dressed in fitted black jeans, a red T-shirt and wearing a favorite black jacket with his incredibly long, brown braid hanging over his shoulder. He imagined the wry grin and mischievous eyes that had, more often than not, been a light in his darkness, the flame of warmth to a bone-weary soldier.

He'd been attracted to the American from the start, not so much physically, but because the spunky, tenacious teenager had as much courage as he did bluster. Because of the seriousness of his mission, as assigned by Dr. J, he'd fought the unusual pull towards the boy from L2 and was successful at keeping his distance, emotionally at least, until he saw Duo on the newscast, being dragged from his captured gundam by their enemies. Even though he knew he shouldn't, that it had little to nothing to do with his own plans, he couldn't talk himself out of a rescue attempt. He'd been successful in entering the enemy's base and locating Maxwell, but it was difficult to maintain his emotional detachment after finding him injured and prepared to be taken out of the war, permanently, in order to avoid becoming a tool for OZ.

The damn stubborn boy proved that he didn't know when to follow orders either. He'd left Duo with orders to remain behind and recuperate while he went to the moon. He was both surprised and upset when the braided boy stumbled into the same OZ cell that housed Wufei and himself, beaten to a bloody pulp by one of the scientists imprisoned there.

Again he had felt compelled to do something for the injured teenager, but not until Wufei had fallen asleep. With his wrists cuffed together there was little he could do, but he did manage to check the unconscious boy for injuries, and when Duo began to shiver from either shock or from being cold, Heero had settled himself down behind him and pressed his body against his back while slipping his arms over the braided head to cradle the American in a more comfortable manner. He keenly recalled the smell of blood and sweat on the boy, but along with those scents was the unique musky smell that belonged to Duo alone. He breathed in that heady aroma and his eyes closed from the pleasure that washed over him as a result of that action. It was then that Heero knew he was in trouble. Developing feelings for Duo Maxwell was not something he had planned for nor was it something he was prepared to deal with.

Despite knowing he shouldn't, he remained a solid, warm presence for the injured teen until Wufei began to stir. As he moved away, he promised himself that he'd stay away from the long-haired boy until the proper time came for him to act on his emotions, if either of them survived the war.

They were separated once more when Duo and Wufei escaped their captors and he and Quatre eventually fled back to Earth. For him it was both a relief and a worry to be away from the tantalizing teenager once again. He could finally concentrate on his mission, do what needed to be done. But at the back of his mind he remained concerned about Duo's welfare, his whereabouts and if he'd ever see him again.

The five of them came back together on Peacemillion and day after day they faced numberless enemies and yet, somehow, they survived. From his own observations, the American pilot seemed equally interested in him, though his actions weren't overt. He'd finally been spurred into acting on his emotions after observing Duo worrying over the girl Hilde after she'd been injured fleeing White Fang mobile dolls in an attempt to escape from Libra. A surge of jealousy, unlike anything he'd ever known before, overwhelmed him, along with the realization that he could lose the American to someone else if he didn't acknowledge his feelings to the other pilot. He wanted nothing more than to comfort Duo, to give him a reason to believe that life didn't always take away those people and things that meant something to him. If he were honest with himself, he wanted to be the reason Duo fought to live through the never-ending battles that were slowly wearing them down.

That night, after Duo had emerged from the shower in his cabin, irresistible with a towel draped around his slender hips and his long, towel-dried hair pulled over one shoulder, Heero walked with deliberate strides up to the other boy and pressed him back against the door he'd just come through. The long-haired teen, taken completely by surprise by the unexpected move, simply stared with wide eyes at him, mutely watching as he leaned forward, bringing their faces only inches apart before he paused to say, "Stop me if you don't want this."

His heart, he recalled, felt as if it was about to burst out of his chest, the pounding of it reverberated in his ears as he waited for Duo's response. In retrospect, he realized that his first move on Duo had been another of his all-or-nothing objectives, fueled primarily by his desperation for the boy who stood nearly naked in front of him. For once Duo didn't give him a verbal response. He simply tilted his head to the side and closed his eyes, positioning himself to accept the coming kiss, and that had been the beginning of what Heero had naively believed would be the most satisfying and only relationship of his life.

The memory of their first night together and the things they'd done awakened his body, causing a response from his lower regions that wasn't welcome. Considering where he was, Heero quickly shifted his thoughts, skipping past all the other memorable moments he'd shared with the braided American, though most of those memories had been good. With regret, he recalled that not everything in their relationship had been perfect for they did have their rough moments.

It was their break up that Heero regretted the most.

He'd been too idealistic, too driven and had the mind set that the newly formed United Earth and Colony government couldn't pull itself together without their help. Without being fully cognizant of the fact, he had also been experiencing residual aftereffects of the Zero System as well as post traumatic stress after piloting his gundam during the Barton attempted coup.

Having been invited to a private meeting in Luxemburg along with his fellow gundam pilots, Lady Une, and Sally Poe proceeded to list all the reasons why the former gundam pilots should join the Preventer organization, the newly-formed agency intent on keeping the tentative peace and to deter other powerful men like Deikum Barton from trying to take over. He'd accepted the invitation the moment Wufei stated that he'd already signed on and hoped they would also.

After his acceptance, he turned his attention to the other silent three. Trowa was looking at Quatre, obviously awaiting his decision. They'd just become a couple, and Heero had no doubt that Trowa would follow the petite but capable blond in whatever decision he made. Duo, he recalled, sat with his head bowed, his gaze focused on his hands which were fisted in his lap.

_No thank you_, Quatre had said, and explained that he had his family's interests to take care of, a business to stabilize and thousands of workers and their families depending on the Winner Corporation's success. Trowa turned to Une and simply said no.

All eyes turned to Duo at that point, who was still contemplating his hands. He wondered why his lover was hesitating when he saw this as a perfect opportunity for them. The pay was good and they'd have many benefits attached to their employment, but on top of that, they would be working together again, fighting for peace just like they had during the war. He'd wanted to reach out and touch the other teen, but he wasn't comfortable displaying his affection for his lover in public, preferring to keep his and Duo's relationship a private matter. And so he sat and waited, as did the other five people in the room, until Wufei got impatient and called Duo's name. The braided head slowly rose, and by the dull look in his eyes Heero knew he wasn't going to like his answer. _No, thanks_, Duo had said quietly, his eyes nervously shifting to Heero to gauge his reaction.

He'd asked his lover why, only to hear Duo state that he didn't want to fight any more, that fighting in two wars was more than anyone could or should ask of them. He explained to the American that it wasn't a war they fighting but that they'd be working to ensure that the peace they'd sacrificed so much for remained intact. The others in the room remained silent and the tension grew heavy while they waited for the braided teen's response. He clearly recalled Duo slowly lifting his head and with eyes pleading for understanding he simply replied, "Let someone else do it."

Their relationship lasted only three weeks after that day. From the moment they returned to their new apartment he'd questioned, cajoled and badgered Duo in an effort to change his mind and to convince him that it would be good working together again for a just cause. Duo had remained stubbornly adamant about his decision... and so had he. Once he realized they were at an impasse, he'd resorted to giving Duo an ultimatum, despite knowing that his lover could be as stubborn as a mule when he felt he was right, and that he never liked being backed into a corner. The boy from the slums of L2 reacted as any former scrapper would, he came out fighting, verbally at first, and flaming pissed. From that point forward all discussions about the Preventer position as well as their relationship were shot to hell. Even five years later he couldn't justify his reaction to Duo's anger, in fact, he was horrified by what he'd done. He might never recall those final moments in their apartment, but they resulted in his destroying his chance for happiness.

Though his memory of the physical altercation was distorted and vague, his last sight of Duo on the rueful day was seared into his mind's eye by his shame. Once he emerged from his berserker-like trance, he found himself gazing down upon the braided teen, lying unconscious on the floor, his once handsome face was battered, bruising and bloody. He had blinked several times, not comprehending what he was seeing until the throbbing of his left and right hands commanded his attention. Looking down, he was horrified further to see they were also bloody and bruising.

Of all the memories he had of their time together, it was the memory of Duo, almost unrecognizable and sprawled out, unnaturally still on the floor, that was the most predominant, and it had haunted him almost daily for the past five years.

His psychiatrist had speculated that he'd gone into shock at that point, unable to deal with the evidence of damage he'd inflicted on his lover. The good doctor had blamed this "shock" for why his mind had blocked everything out for a time. Yet after returning to a sense of his surroundings for a second time that dreadful day, he'd found himself miles from their apartment, sweat soaked and his lungs ready to collapse from having run so far and so quickly. By the time he made his way back to the apartment, Duo was gone.

During the hours and days that followed that nightmarish day, Heero exhausted himself in trying to discover what had happened to his injured and missing lover. His feelings of remorse and regret were at times overwhelming, and he was worried as hell about Duo's well being. After two weeks of unsuccessful searching, checking hotels, hospitals and passenger lists for any hint of what had happened to his injured lover, Wufei caught onto what he was doing one morning after he'd finished yet another round with the Preventers' psychiatrist. Standing in their shared office, the Chinese youth, disfavor plainly etched on his face, stiffly informed him that Duo had been packed up by Quatre and Trowa and that they were seeing to his physical and emotional welfare. He also informed Heero that their former comrades had every intention of taking Duo back to L4 with them when he was well enough to travel. A warning was also delivered that any attempt to make contact with any of their three former comrades would be most unwelcome.

Heero knew from his painful memory of Duo's battered body on the floor that he'd injured his lover. Badly. But he hadn't been ready to deal with the reality of what he'd done until Wufei gave him no choice but to accept the blame when he listed Duo's multiple injuries. Bowing his head in shame, he'd buried his face in his hands, unable to face Wufei or himself. He was a monster. Une had been right to keep him off the active duty roster and on desk duty until he was cleared by the shrink she'd required him to visit since learning of his attack on Duo. It was clear that his lover was through with him. He wasn't sure why he hadn't expected it. Duo had his pride. Not only that, but Heero knew he was completely to blame for the entire incident. Yet it was Wufei's personal warning, as well as those he'd relayed from Quatre and Trowa to stay away that had hit him the hardest. Accepting that Duo and two of his former comrades had cut all ties with him was difficult, to say the least, yet he couldn't blame them. And even though it was his own lapse of control and burst of anger that had ruined everything, his longing for Duo's companionship, the need for his friendship and love remained, and he was left to wonder how things had spiraled out of control so quickly.

He'd had plenty of time over the last couple of years to come to the conclusion that he'd probably made the biggest mistake of his life in not going after Duo, disregarding the warning to beg for his lover's forgiveness. But each time he'd gotten to the point of picking up the phone, packing a bag and checking shuttle schedules, the voice of reason whispered that it was too late, that it would be best to let sleeping dogs lie. The memory of those angry and then pained, blue-violet eyes as they began to argue on that regretful day reinforced his belief that Duo had been too deeply hurt by his words and actions to ever forgive him.

Taking a deep breath, Heero pushed away those remorse-filled thoughts of the past as well as the what-might-have-beens. He rubbed at his tired eyes with the heels of both hands. Damn, he hated these long flights that gave him too much time to reflect on the past. Closing his eyes once more, determined to catch at least an hour of sleep, the image of Duo sprang to his mind unbidden. The image was not the bruised and battered teenager he'd left on their apartment floor, but the picture of a very handsome man that he'd seen on several popular magazine covers. Yes, like his current partner, he'd purchased the magazines featuring the former Deathscythe pilot also, but he wasn't about to tell that to Wufei. Having matured from a very good-looking teenager into a man, Duo had become more strikingly handsome, beautiful even, but in a completely masculine way, of course. He was still appealingly slender, and looked like perfection personified in whatever set of clothing he was modeling. He didn't know the specifics of how his former lover had come to be a successful, high-income male model, but he knew that Quatre had a hand in it. Maybe he'd work up the nerve to ask Duo when he saw him.

Bringing a hand to his head, he wondered what he was going to say to his former lover. After all, they'd parted horribly. It was completely possible that the other man might not even want to see much less talk to him. He really didn't have a choice though, because there was no getting around seeing Duo and getting a statement from him as part of the investigation into Relena's disappearance.

But if he were honest with himself, he wanted to see Duo again, to hear his voice. He knew the model wasn't a serious suspect in Relena's kidnaping. He only brought up his former lover's grudge against her after Duo failed to show up at the meeting with Une. It was, more or less, his way of opening the door to seeing the long-haired man again. It had been a door that had been painfully nailed shut for much too long. With a shaky sigh, he reminded himself not to get his hopes up. Duo had moved on with his life and, in a way, so had he. Despite his desire to see Duo, it was imperative that he maintain an appearance of professionalism. He was an officer of the Preventers, after all, being sent to New York on official business.

"Got a headache?" Wufei's question shook Heero from his thoughts.

"No. I'm just trying to formulate what I'm going to say to Duo. It's been five years since we've seen or even spoken to each other." Heero paused, hesitating to say anything further. After that day in the office, years ago, when his partner had warned him away, he and Wufei had never spoken in great detail about what happened between himself and Duo. He had little doubt that the other man had been informed about what had occurred on that fateful day, his accusing glare spoke louder than his words ever did on the few occasions when Duo, Quatre or Trowa's names had come up in conversation.

Wufei's eyes darkened a fraction before he said, "I should think you would apologize."

Heero would normally dismiss any such suggestion. After all, he rarely found himself in a situation where an apology was necessary. He very seldom chose a course of action without first fully studying his options, carefully selecting a choice of action, and then taking the necessary steps to achieve the desired result. But this time Wufei was right. He still felt ashamed by the past, knowing that he had seriously wronged Duo and that it truly was up to him to apologize and, hopefully, such an action would help to ease his conscience.

"I hardly think Duo would accept a simple apology."

"If it's sincere, I'm sure he'll consider it."

Heero's piercing gaze was turned on his current partner. Making sure to keep his voice down so that their conversation as private as one could manage on an airline, he said, "Everything is always black and white to you, isn't it, Wufei? Well it's not always so clear cut. There are a lot of gray areas in our lives that aren't always so easily categorized and fixed."

Wufei thoughtfully studied Heero for a moment, hesitating before speaking up, revealing something he'd held back for five years. "I was never told exactly what happened to cause the altercation, so I was left to put two and two together. But I also never told you what took place after you fled the apartment and left Duo behind," he added with some reluctance. "I was contacted by Quatre and Trowa that afternoon. Trowa told me that Duo had called and, in a voice barely understandable, he asked for their assistance. Quatre, even at that distance, had sensed a great deal of pain coming from Duo. They were on L4 when the call came and it was going to take them at least twelve hours to make the journey back to Earth, so they asked if I would go and check up on him, see if he was alright and assist him if necessary. Evidently, Duo hadn't told them during that call what had happened, only stating that he needed their help. They gave me directions to the shabby hotel he'd holed up in and urged me to go there immediately and report back on his condition. After being persuaded that it was my duty as his friend, I reluctantly agreed. My hesitance was founded on not wanting to be caught up in negotiating some lover's spat."

Wufei paused a moment and frowned before continuing to recall that very unpleasant day. "Duo didn't answer the door when I knocked, so I picked the lock. I'm not going to tell you anything specific, just that Duo was in bad shape. He was... " He stopped abruptly, reconsidering what he was about to reveal. "Well, it doesn't matter now, other than you know that he was badly injured when I found him and he hadn't improved much by the time Trowa and Quatre arrived later the next day.

"Duo didn't talk to me during the long hours I tended to his needs. I believed at the time, considering his injuries, that perhaps he couldn't speak. But after only five minutes of being closeted with Winner he managed to communicate to him what had happened. Quatre and Trowa didn't have to talk too long to convince Duo to go back to L4 with them, promising him the time, space and resources needed to put his life back together. Even though I was ignorant of all the details, other than you had been the one who'd beat him unconscious, I agreed with their plan and told Duo that going to L4 would be the wisest move, considering his condition."

Wufei ended his short confession, having watched the myriad of emotions sweep across Heero's normally unreadable face. He must have seen that his partner was anything but pleased by his revealing comments of those past dark days because Wufei quickly attempted to ease the tension that had grown between them during the last few moments. "You were obviously both hurt by what happened between you, Heero. It's only right that you should express your regret to Duo, regardless of whether or not he accepts your apology. This has weighed heavily on your mind all this time, hasn't it? Perhaps you should take this opportunity to deal with it, put it in the past and move on."

Heero knew Wufei was right, and given the chance he should... no, would apologize to Duo. He just hoped he'd be able to get a single word out before Duo leveled him out on the floor.

TBC

Author: Oops! Did I say Duo would show up in this one? He does the next chapter, promise.


	7. Chapter 7

Lies - Between Friends and Lovers  
Part 6

Because of poor weather conditions along the entire East Coast, the plane carrying the two Preventers was diverted to Cleveland, Ohio. Neighboring airports, large and small, bordering the Atlantic remained closed to all flights until later in the afternoon when a break in the storm front was expected as it moved northward. Consequently, the two travel weary agents arrived in New York City later that evening, well behind schedule. After going through customs they decided to check into to their hotel and call it a day. With the next day being Sunday, Heero decided they'd attempt dropping by the residence of their former comrade in the morning, hopefully catching Duo off guard by their sudden and unexpected appearance. Wufei's frown indicated he wasn't in complete agreement with his partner on this plan, but he kept any reservations he had to himself. Heero was designated the agent in charge, after all.

Nine thirty the next morning found the two men smartly dressed in their uniforms and standing in front of a posh, high-rise building located across the street from Central Park. They presented themselves along with official identification to the doorman while Heero stated their reason for presence. The uniformed man carefully studied their badges before promptly calling Mr. Maxwell's suite. The building's official greeter/security man continued his scrutiny of the two Preventers while waiting for his call to be answered. Just as he was about to hang up, thinking Mr. Maxwell wasn't available, a groggy voice answered.

"Mr. Maxwell? This is Jacobson at the front door. There are two uniformed Preventer agents in the lobby requesting admittance to the building with the intention of speaking to you."

The man nodded his head as he listened to the other man's reply. "Two Asians, early twenties. Yes, they presented me with proper identification," he replied, obviously answering the queries of the man on the other end of the line. "Very well. I'll send them up in ten." The door man then hung up the phone and turned his full attention to the Preventers. "Mr. Maxwell asked that you delay coming up for ten minutes. If you'll have a seat." He pointed them to the seating area to the left of the lobby.

"On what floor is Mr. Maxwell's apartment?" Heero asked.

"Fourteenth. Room 1409."

"We'll take the stairs."

Wufei gave Heero a glare of disapproval. He wasn't in the mood to walk up fourteen levels, but he was ignored by his partner who turned without further ado and walked towards the door marked stairwell. Sighing with resignation, he followed, vowing to get even with the other man for this unnecessary climb.

They sprinted up the first three flights of stairs then slowed their pace, climbing two steps at a time. By the ninth floor they were down to taking single steps and feeling a bit too warm for comfort. The stairwell wasn't air conditioned like the rest of the building and the growing humidity of the summer day, promising to be overcast and warm, was causing their Preventer shirts to stick to their skin.

Finally standing in front of room 1409, Wufei watched Heero wipe the moisture away from his forehead with the sleeve of his shirt. He copied the man actions, feeling out of sorts at being in a less than immaculate state as they approached their former comrade.

Heero's knuckles rapped a brisk three times on the door before pausing then to wait for an answer. After a few moments he repeated the action again, his knock a bit more forceful. The silence in the long elegant corridor grew as the wait continued. Just as he raised his hand to knock a third time, the door flew open to reveal a very irritated looking Duo Maxwell. With violet eyes blazing and his long braided hair mussed from sleep, the American stood in the open doorway hastily securing the belt of a bronze satin robe he wore over matching boxers. The only thought in Heero's mind at that moment was that Duo Maxwell was absolutely breathtaking.

"Shit!" the man at the door swore, his eyes narrowing as they focused on his former lover. "What the hell?" He seemed to gather his wits about him before snarling, "I said ten minutes."

"We're here on Preventer business," Heero managed to say. He hoped his outward appearance presented the picture of him being cool and calm despite his inner turmoil.

Duo's narrowed eyes shifted from one agent to the other, then surprisingly, he snorted and shook his head. "If your pushy boss sent you to try and get me to help out on that hushed-up case she called about last week, you wasted your time coming here. I'm still not interested in anything to do with the Preventers and I'm just as resolved now as I was five years ago, if not more so."

Heero was about to reply when his partner cut him off. "We aren't here to ask you to join Preventers," Wufei said calmly, acting the part of a composed, efficient agent.

Duo shifted his attention to the Chinese man and Heero wondered if he was deliberately avoiding looking at him. A sound coming from behind the braided man caught the attention of all three men. "Give me a sec." Duo abruptly closed the door only to open it again a moment later to reveal a beautiful young woman who kept her face down and her body slightly turned away from the two Preventers. She was dressed in an elegant evening gown and was having a difficult time keeping it in place, the problem no doubt due to the fact that the long zipper in the back was half-way undone. From his position just outside the door, Heero had to take a step back in order for her to slide past him. He also noted that her shoulder length, black-glossy hair was loose, mussed and hanging around her shoulders, giving the appearance that she'd just woken from a restless night. He didn't want to dwell on the implication of intimacy that came from her leaving Duo's apartment at that time in the morning, dressed as she was. It was none of his business, he firmly told himself.

"Wait, darlin'," Duo said, stopping the seemingly shy woman before she could cross over his threshold. The woman dutifully stopped while Duo stepped up behind her and carefully zipped up the rest of her dress. She turned with gratitude on her lips and was waylaid from saying anything when Duo leaned over to give her a quick kiss on the corner of her mouth. "See ya around." He grinned and gave her a suggestive wink.

"Call me, Duo," the beautiful woman said in parting, sounding flustered as she rushed past Heero and Wufei, giving them only the merest glimpse of her profile before running barefoot down the hallway, her black high-heels clutched in her hand.

Duo watched until she disappeared into the elevator then heaved a sigh and stood back, opening the door further. "Well, come in if you really have to." He then turned and walked away without a second glance, leaving the door open behind him. Heero followed, stepping through the doorway before his partner and giving the impressively stunning apartment an appraising glance while Wufei followed and secured the front door.

"I see your manners haven't improved," Heero called out to the man in front of him, sounding gruff without intending to. He wondered why he was feeling so out of sorts and peevish with Duo when that had not been his intention. He was nervous, he decided, and that unusual feeling was causing him to behave in an unreasonable manner. Yet even as he sought to remedy his mood, he found himself unable to tear his gaze away from the sight of Duo's backside. The man's thick brown braid, held loosely together by a string of brown leather, came to a gentle point end several inches below his waist and swayed seductively against the bronze satin material as the tall and slender man walked into a formal sitting area. Heero found both the swaying braid and rhythmic movement of Duo's tantalizing backside mesmerizing.

The model turned his head just then and caught sight of where he'd been looking. Rolling his eyes he answered Heero's statement snidely, "Your manners aren't much better, pal." Glancing at the other Preventer over Heero's shoulder, he called out casually, "How ya doin', Wu?"

"I'm good, Duo. How have you been?"

Duo turned to look at the Chinese man, put his hands on his hips and grinned. "As a matter of fact I'm on top of the world."

Heero made a derisive sound while Wufei smiled in return. "I'm glad to hear it," he replied honestly. Though the Chinese man and Duo had never been very close during the wars, that didn't mean he hadn't liked the American. Heero could only wonder if Wufei had missed the braided man's friendship over the last couple of years as well.

With a flick of his hand, Duo motioned them into his spacious living room, furnished in a modern style with a white and black color scheme. It was an impressive room, superbly decorated with colorful yet tasteful, eye-catching objects on shelves and table tops as well as pillows. Heero particularly liked the artfully arranged orchids placed at various points around the room. The apartment had obviously been designed by a professional. Adding to the interior design was the large bank of windows that made up an entire wall. From the direction they faced, Heero realized they would give a spectacular view of Central Park, located across the street. Yet the undeniable focal point of the room rested over the white marble fireplace at the far end of the room. A large black and white photo, simply framed in silver, captured the image of the naked backside of a man's body. The trim and pale body was a tantalizing contrast to the black background, with the subject's arms slightly raised from the man's sides, his fingers splayed, displaying nicely sculptured biceps and shoulders. The long and thick braid cascading down the back of the subject obviously had a two-fold purpose: to give away the subject's identity and to hide beneath it the crevice between the slender globes of Duo's bottom.

"Self portrait," Duo said from behind the two Preventers.

"It's striking," Wufei replied, gazing up at the photograph, his expression thoughtful. "I like the play of shadows, the suggestion of dark and light. The white is not glaring nor the black oppressive. A nice balance."

"Thanks. I felt kind of funny displaying something so personal in my living room, but I have it from the best authority that it's appropriate for my bachelor pad."

Casting a glance at his partner, Heero could see that the Chinese man was equally impressed by the decor. As Duo turned towards one of the chairs in the room, Wufei looked his way, and for a moment the two Preventers silently expressed with a look their curiosity about the cost of living in such a place and speculation on just how much money Duo must be making in his line of work.

"Bet ya never thought I'd live in a joint like this, did ya Heero?" The slightly smug tone could hardly be missed.

Heero gave a disinterested shrug of one shoulder. He wasn't about to get into a tit-for-tat conversation with Duo while working on a case. So instead of getting into a war of insults that would no doubt would result with supercilious comments of his own, he got straight to the point. "I assume you've heard about Relena's disappearance?"

"Of course", Duo said sitting in a side chair and motioning for the two to take a seat on the sofa. "Everyone's talkin' about it. I assume that's why Une summoned me last week."

"Did you have anything to do with it?"

The large, blue-violet eyes widened, then blinked at Heero for a moment, showing his utter surprise at the question. "Now why the hell would you think that?"

"You had some animosity towards her during the war."

"Yeah, so what? She thought of me as garbage from L2 and that you couldn't possibly be interested in someone so beneath you. Can you really blame me for not takin' a shine to her?" Duo didn't wait for an answer to his question. With a dismissive wave of his hand he continued. "But it's been years since then and I've tried very hard to forget about her. Besides, I felt way more animosity towards you after the wars and I didn't do anything about that either, did I?"

At that point the long-haired man combed his fingers through the fringe of his hair, temporarily pulling it away from his forehead as he huffed. It was then, while his face was fully exposed, that Heero realized that there was something different about Duo. Of course, over the matter of five years his face had made the natural change from a teenager to a man, but something else was different. And then it hit him. Duo's nose wasn't the same. His face had once sported a pert and slightly turned up nose, and if he remembered right, there was just the slightest kink in it from when he'd been injured during the war, but none of that was visible any longer. Duo's patrician nose now fit perfectly on his handsome face, accentuating his good looks in a very flattering manner. It was as perfect as a nose could be, straight and trim but no longer turned up.

Heero was shaken from his observations by Duo's exclamation, "Damn, I can't believe you actually think I'd have anything to do with Relena, much less her disappearance. Are you sure she just didn't skip out when things got rough?" Then looking directly at Heero with a suggestive tilt of his eyebrows he added, "You didn't have a fight with her, did you, Heero? Smacked her around when she didn't do things your way?"

Heero knew that comment for the stabbing barb it was meant to be, that Duo was not being subtle in referring to their breakup. Putting aside the residual pain he felt from the reminder of his past actions, he refocused his thoughts, determined not to become sidetracked and got back to the reason for the visit.

"Where were you last Tuesday night, or rather, early Wednesday morning, New York time?"

"Hum... let me think," Duo paused and looked thoughtful for a moment, then slowly crossed his right leg over his left in a very provocative manner, displaying almost all of the long and lean leg when the silk boxers slid up the pale thigh. Heero remembered that Duo had very attractive legs as a teenager; age and maturity, it seemed, hadn't changed anything in that department. He also noticed his well-kempt, obviously manicured feet and, damn, where was the hair on his legs? Had he shaved them? Maybe it was a requirement for modeling underwear. No, he couldn't afford to have his mind travel down that road, at least not in the middle of an interview. "Oh yes," Duo interrupted his thoughts, his eyes meeting Heero's in an unfriendly gaze. "Until about eleven, Tuesday night, I was at the opening of a new restaurant downtown, a little Italian place with a fantastic chef. Then my date and I spent some quality time together before I took her home. I came in the front door around one a.m."

"Can you prove it? Is there anyone who can verify you're telling the truth?""

One skeptical, cinnamon-colored eyebrow rose. Clearly offended, the brunet asked, "Do I have to?"

"Yes."

"Fine," Duo scowled. "Go down to Mazio's somewhere near Park and East 48th and ask for the owner, Marcus Mattuzio. He greeted me and my date that night, Alana Stevens, a friend of Shelly's. I can give you her number as well and she'll back me up."

"Shelly? Shelly Cheval? That's who passed us in the doorway, wasn't it?" Heero turned to look at Wufei as his partner asked the question, watching as the other man's sloe eyes widened with surprise, or was it excitement, after realizing who the oddly familiar young woman was who'd just left the apartment moments before. Heero hadn't recognized her either, with her hair hiding most of her face, but everyone on the planet and the colonies knew of the wildly popular actress. He recalled having heard the normally reserved Chinese man speaking of his appreciation of the actress's talents in more than one occasion after a movie she'd been featured in was released.

"Yup, that was her." Duo grinned, then gave Wufei a knowing wink. "Nice girl. Alana is pretty cool, too."

Heero cleared his throat, catching both men's attention. Duo smirked and Wufei blushed. "Do you have the phone number and address of that eating establishment?" He needed to get the conversation back to the reason for being there once again. It seemed Duo's talent of being a distraction had only grown stronger over the years.

"No, I don't happen to have that number on hand" Duo's long fingers moved slowly over the surface of the arms of his chair, caressing it in a way that could only be called sensual. "But you can call information."

"Do you have a phone we could use?"

Duo shrugged and gave the Japanese man a lazy grin, his eyes twinkling with deviltry. "'Fraid I took the receiver off its base and I can't seem to find it. Guess you'll just have to call from somewhere else." The left side of Duo's robe slid slowly off of his shoulder with the shrug that preceded his answer, exposing a tan, flawlessly sculptured shoulder. Heero's heart quickened, and he silently damned the man for not pulling the sensual, poor excuse for a robe back in place. He was sure Duo was behaving in such a provocative manner on purpose, probably to provoke him. The braided menace proved yet another of his talents remained, that being eliciting some sort of reaction from him.

Standing abruptly, Heero felt flushed with heat and the sudden, urgent need to get out of there. Giving a knowing glance to Wufei, his partner rose from the sofa to stand next to him. Clearing his throat, he said in a brusque manner, "Thank you for your time. We'll be in touch if your alibi doesn't check out."

Duo's eyes never left his former lover, though they did narrowed in anger. He uncrossed and lowered his leg and slowly rose from the chair, a stormy expression clouding his face. Jerking the robe back into its proper place, he asked, "So that's it, huh? We haven't seen each other in five years and that's all you have to say to me?"

Heero's gaze shifted from the violet eyes sparking with anger to glance at Wufei. He'd had every intention that morning of speaking to Duo, to apologize, but he felt uncomfortable having an audience in attendance when he said what was needed.

Wufei, it appeared, knew when to disappear. "I'll wait down in the lobby." The pointed looked he aimed at Heero in return told him he'd better do the right thing and apologize. Turning to the braided, half-dressed man, who was glaring for all he was worth at Heero, Wufei held out his hand. "It was good seeing you again, Duo. Perhaps we could try better to stay in touch."

Duo blinked as he turned to look at the Chinese agent, and his gaze dropped to the extended hand. The anger that had been evident a moment before faded and a more natural smile blossomed on the handsome face as he clasped the offered bronze hand in his own. Looking into dark eyes he said with a pleased, toothy grin. "I'd really like that, Wu. You've got my number, right?"

"I do. Quatre gave it to me."

Their hands separated and the two men parted pleasantly, each giving their word that they would be in touch soon. Wufei then turned and let himself out of the apartment, allowing the two men remaining to either beat the crap out of each other or to find some kind of closure. He'd give them twenty minutes, he decided, before returning to Duo's apartment to drag Heero's sorry ass out of there if he didn't show up. The tension in the room had almost been palpable, but whether it was caused by anger or something else, only time would tell. Until then, he'd wait in lobby and pray he wouldn't be calling an ambulance before the twenty minutes were up.

TBC

Note: More Heero and Duo in the next chapter. Thanks for you comments and encouragement. They are very much appreciated.


	8. Chapter 8

**Lies - Between Friends and Lovers**  
By Dyna Dee  
Part 7

Heero

As Duo watched Wufei leave, Heero watched him in turn and observed the American's smile slowly fade like the sun sinking well below the western horizon. There was something different about Duo's appearance, more than his being 5 years older, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Crossing his arms over his chest, slightly bunching up that flimsy excuse for a robe, the braided man's attention returned to him at last, an air of expectancy surrounding him. Finding his throat constricted by his nervousness, Heero forced down a swallow, hoping to find his voice while Duo waited. Wearing a blank expression, those much photographed blue-violet eyes remained dead set on his own. The model was obviously attempting to appear blase, but his piercing gaze indicated to Heero that he was at least somewhat interested in his reason for remaining behind. He then noticed the tapping of one long finger on the sleeve of his sleek material that covered his arm, giving away Duo's growing impatience. The air between them was charged with what Heero could only guess was hostility... and all of it coming from Duo.

Instead of blurting out his intended, half-prepared apology, Heero found himself attempting a smile and calmly saying, "You look good, Duo. Successful and happy. How are you really?"

The man in the sexy robe blinked, apparently taken aback by the polite yet warm inquiry. "Ah... thanks. I am happy, for the most part." He reached back and scratched at his messy braid, an old habit from his younger years that Heero discovered was something he did when he was uncomfortable or unsure of himself or a situation. It was rather comforting to know he wasn't the only one who was nervous. 'Um... you look good, too," Duo offered, looking a tad suspicious at Heero's sudden switch from the role of Preventer officer to a more friendly exchange. "I'm doin' good, occupation wise. I've gotta great job that pays me an obscene amount of money and allows me to do the things I feel are important. I've got decent friends, too, so right now I've got no complaints. How about you, Heero? Are you... happy?"

Heero noted the flicker of trepidation in Duo's eyes. He wondered at its appearance. Was the other man worried about his answer? "I'm good," he replied, still trying to maintain a friendly smile. "My job keeps me active, hones my skills and it's satisfying."

"Was it worth it?"

Duo purposely looked away from him as he waited for an answer to his question. Heero knew exactly what the braided man was referring to. The job he'd just spoken so highly of had been the reason for their break up. It was a clear segue for him to speak his mind and clear his conscience; it was the very reason Wufei had left him alone to speak with his former lover. "I... I want to apologize, Duo, for so many things. I was wrong to try and force you into a job you didn't want." And then before he could help himself the words came tumbling out of his mouth in a rush. "From the psychological and medical examinations I began at Director Une's insistence, two days after our... quarrel, I eventually came to learn that our fighting triggered a Zero episode, a residual effect from that damn system. It caused a lapse in my thought process, took over the part of my brain that controls rational thinking. The only way I car explain it is to say it was exactly like being under Zero's influence during a battle." He knew Duo would understand from that analogy because he had also been under Zero's influence during the first war, thought only once, and he had sworn to never be in that position again. "Because we were so angry and shouting at each other, the part of Zero still in my head must have taken over, convinced you were my enemy."

As he continued his voice and manner reflected his feeling of shame and remorse. "I vaguely recall a voice in my head, sounding like my own but insisting you were the enemy and that I must eliminate all my enemies, but I don't remember hitting you. All I can remember is our argument escalating, and then everything went white. I give you my solemn word, Duo, that I wasn't aware of my actions until I came out of the void and found you unconscious on the floor."

The braided man remained turned towards the front windows that looked over the park below. Knowing there was nothing to see from his position but cloudy skies, Heero realized the other man was waiting for him to say something more.

Taking a deep breath he continued, hoping to find whatever it was that Duo needed to hear in order to forgive him, and what he needed to say to be free of the guilt and shame of his past actions. "I know my stubbornness matched your own regarding becoming a Preventer, but I shouldn't have backed you into a corner or given you an ultimatum. I was just so sure working together for the Preventers was the right thing to do, giving our talents and service to a peace keeping organization. It was wrong of me to assume that I knew what was good for you and for allowing our argument to escalate into a brawl."

Silence fell between the two men. Heero didn't know what else to say, but he felt as if there remained something unfinished between them. He waited patiently for Duo to give him a clue as to what it was.

After several long moments, the braided man sighed, but his eyes remained on the window and the dark cumulus clouds that scudded slowly across the darkening sky. "I've tried to forgive you," Duo said in a small, pained voice. "But you hurt me, Heero, probably more than you'll ever know. I had nightmares for ages, and in them you always had that look in your eyes, the one you had that day. It was inhuman, like you were a killing machine and I was the one you were going to take out no matter what."

"I'm sorry. I've also had nightmares," Heero admitted, combing his hand through his hair. "But not of the fight. Like I said, I don't recall very much about that day, but I do remember seeing you lying unconscious on the floor, your face covered with blood. That image was burned into my mind and has haunted me since that day, awake and asleep." Heero then closed his eyes and added, "I don't have words to express how sorry I am. I'm not making excuses for what I did, but with the help of my therapist we came to the conclusion that even though Wing had been destroyed, a part of my brain remained under the system's influence and continued to be for several months after I started seeing him. He helped me cope with the lingering effects of the Zero system and slowly expunge its control. I wasn't allowed to do anything but desk work at Preventers until I was clear of any further contamination."

Duo shook his head just before turning to look at his former lover, a hint of sadness in his expressive eyes. "What did you hope to gain by coming here, Heero? A clear conscience?"

"Perhaps," Heero replied, trying his best to be open with the other man. "Those last weeks we spent together have weighed heavily on my mind these past five years. Before we received the invitation to join Preventers, we were good together, or at least I thought we were. And I know that I was the one who ruined everything. It was my fault entirely and I can tell you with all sincerity that I deeply regret my actions and that I lost you because I was too stubborn to see any viewpoint other than my own."

With a small, sad smile Duo surmised, "Looks like you've changed a bit."

Heero managed to smile back despite the gravity of the conversation, and once again he couldn't help but appreciate Duo's just-got-out-of-bed appearance. "You too. I see you finally hit that growth spurt you kept telling me would happen. And if I'm not mistaken, you've had some reconstruction surgery. You look good."

A chuckle escaped those generous lips, and perfectly straight and pearly white teeth were exposed, displaying yet another change in Duo's appearance. Though the boy from L2 had sported an arresting smile, his teeth had been neglected during his unfortunate childhood and that lack of care had been apparent, if one looked closely. Whatever damage had been caused by neglect had obviously been taken care of.

"Well, after having my nose broken in several places, I had to undergo a surgery or two to fix the damage." Running a finger down the length of his nose he added, "It's not too bad, if I do say so myself. Some dental work was also necessary." Then with an exaggerated sigh he added, "Now if I only had the same metabolism I had when I was a teenager I'd really be happy. My weight seems to be a constant point of contention with the designers I work for. Can you believe that I have to work out and actually watch what I eat in order to stay model thin?"

Heero couldn't stop himself from making a quick glancing appraisal of the slender body that, despite the sensual bed clothing he wore, remained modestly covered. Duo had been a handsome teenager, but he never looked more appealing than he did at the moment: being relaxed, friendly and sexier than ever. With Duo having spoken to him in a more casual manner, Heero felt, if only for the space of several heartbeats, as if the past had been erased and the two of them were back on track as friends. Yet the moment their eyes met that feeling ended and the smiles on both their faces slowly faded and the atmosphere between them changed once again. Heero sensed the time had come for him to leave. "Do you accept my apology?" he asked, hoping for a positive response.

Duo paused a moment to consider, then nodded his head and quietly answered, "Yeah, I guess I do."

Even though Heero felt as if weight had been lifted off his shoulders after receiving Duo's forgiveness, the awkwardness he'd felt earlier had suddenly returned and he fumbled in his mind with what to say in reply. But what his mouth couldn't utter, his mind and body new very well what he wanted. Rising within him was a deep yearning to gather Duo in his arms and kiss him soundly, to leave an indelible impression on the other man as they parted ways once more. He reminded himself that it was no longer his place to intimately touch the other man. Duo had moved on with his life, away from him, and justifiably so. "I should probably go. Wufei is waiting for me," he said rather clumsily.

Duo gave a slow nod of agreement, then turned without a word and led him to the front door. Heero shoved his fists into his pockets and followed, denying himself his need to touch the other man.

Duo opened the front door and stood aside to allow him to walk by, but halfway out the door Heero stopped and turned. The braided man, absolutely drool-worthy in his sleeping attire and mussed hair, gazed at him with curiosity shining in his eyes. He waited in the open doorway for Heero to explain himself.

"Duo, I..." He stopped, not sure what he was going to say. He'd already apologized, sincerely and with the intention of putting the past behind him and moving forward, but he found he just couldn't say goodbye like this. "I've really missed you," he said softly, letting the truth of those four words show in his eyes. "Do you think we could ever become... friends again?"

There was a sudden spark of brightness in the depths of the blue-violet orbs that caused Heero to feel hopeful. "I've missed you too, Heero." Duo's voice was just above a whisper. "But considering that you work in Sanq and I live in New York City, I don't think it's going to be too convenient to hang out together."

"How about email?"

Duo's returning smile was soft and genuine as he replied. "Yeah, I guess I could do that."

Heero's smile returned as well. "I'd like to hear how you came to be in your current profession."

Duo lifted his chin and laughed, and to Heero the sound of that laughter brought back memories that were pleasant and magical to his ears and heart. Duo had a wonderful laugh that never failed to caused others to smile in return, and it was something Heero had sorely missed. "Now that's a story," Duo said with a wide grin, shaking his head at the amusing memory. "Drop me a line sometime and I'll tell you all the details of Quatre's sister turning the great Shinigami into a high-priced fashion model."

Heero moved his hand to the inside of his jacket and pulled out a small silver case from a pocket in the lining that held his business cards. Opening it, he removed the top one and handed it to Duo. "Here's my email address and business phone number. Write me when you have the time and I'll put your address on my contact list.

Duo took the card and looked it over, noting the Preventer Logo. As he studied it, Heero found himself unable to pull his eyes away from his former lover, and a sudden realization hit him: he'd never gotten over the other man and he still wanted him. It came to him that his longing for Duo was most likely the reason his heart had never fully mended and possibly why he never found another to fill the emptiness Duo's absence created. The two of them stood silent for several long moments with Duo staring at the card and Heero standing next to him, unsure of what else he should say or do. A handshake in parting seemed too formal, but an embrace would be too forward. Following his instincts, Heero reached out and clasped Duo by the shoulder, his touch bringing Duo's attention back to him.

"It really was good to see you again, Duo. Let's not remain strangers."

Duo nodded, then with a timid smile said softly, "Yeah, it was good to see you, too. Goodbye, Heero."

Unable to resist, and despite the fact that the other man would probably react badly to what he was about to do, Heero stepped forward and brushed his lips ever so lightly across Duo's relaxed mouth. He heard the soft, surprised intake of breath and quickly backed away. Turning immediately, he walked away, refusing to give into the urge to turn around to see what Duo's reaction to his kiss was. Once in front of the elevator, he pushed the button that would call the elevator to that floor. While waiting for it to arrive, he heard the soft click of Duo's front door as it closed behind him.

He found Wufei in the lobby, standing in front of the large bay window gazing in the direction of the park across the street. He approached his fellow agent, grateful for the tact the other man had displayed in allowing him the privacy and time to properly apologize to Duo. He stopped short of his fellow Preventer and waited, knowing Wufei was aware of his presence. Those dark eyes remained on the view in front of him as the Chinese agent asked, "Are you both intact?"

Heero chuckled. "Yes. No blows were exchanged. He accepted my apology and we agreed to keep in touch by email."

The black pony-tailed head turned, revealing Wufei's surprised expression. "I'm glad, on all three counts," he said, a pleased smile coming to his lips.

Heero felt an immense sense of gratitude for the other man's sensitivity. "You're a good man, Wufei. I've always known that but I don't think I've ever told you before or how much I've valued your friendship these past five years."

Wufei nodded, his manner turning somber again. "It's been lonely for you, being estranged from the other three, hasn't it?." Heero knew Wufei had managed to maintain some form of communication with Quatre and Trowa over the years, and at times, knowing that their friendship was lost to him, that knowledge had more often than not stung.

Slightly embarrassed to admit to it, Heero found his gaze turning to the green park outside the window, the view obscured by the rush of traffic moving by and the rain showering down. "I never have made friends easily and losing Duo was... devastating," he confessed. "Losing the friendship of the other two, though understandable, hurt almost as much."

A hand came to his shoulder. During five years of working closely together, neither of the two men had felt a need to touch each other when it wasn't necessary. But now, the hand squeezing his shoulder seemed to express Wufei's understanding and sympathy. The latter was not something he never wanted from his Chinese partner.

Heero sighed, then unexpectedly asked, "Do you want to know what happened between Duo and I that day?"

The hand on his shoulder slipped away and after a long moment Wufei answered, "I have to admit I've always been curious about what brought you and Duo to blows, but my curiosity can remain unanswered if you don't feel comfortable speaking about it."

Again, Heero was impressed by the other man's tactfulness. "We argued," he began, his voice quiet so that others passing through the front door and lobby wouldn't overhear their conversation. "In fact, we had argued daily for the entire three weeks following the meeting with you and Une to discuss our working at Preventers. I wouldn't accept Duo's reasons for not wanting to join with us to preserve the peace." He paused and closed his eyes, once more reliving that dreadful afternoon in his mind. "I was relentless, badgering him to the point of belittling him and his reasons. I went too far and he finally struck back, verbally at first. We'd spent a good half hour hurling insults at each other, until I brought up his past, saying that another Maxwell Church massacre could happen if we weren't diligent in guarding and sustaining the peace. It was wrong and I knew it was hitting below the belt, but I was desperate."

Opening his eyes again, Heero looked out into the passing traffic, not seeing anything but the past as he continued in a haunted voice. "The enraged look on his face told me I'd gone too far. And being Duo, he knew how to deliver a verbal blow better than anyone I've ever known. He asked me how many more innocents, like the little girl and dog I'd accidentally killed during my training, were going to die by my hands." He swallowed hard and clamped down on those emotions that always came to the surface when speaking about that incident.

Shaking his head, he said, "I'm not even sure who delivered the first blow. I only remember being angrier than I'd ever been before and found myself in a frame of mind I now refer to as my killing zone. The world around me washed away and I existed in a void of white anger. My anger and Duo's triggered something in me left over from Zero. I don't remember hitting him, but I recall lashing out at the source of my pain. It... it was like being taken over." He physically shuddered at the vivid memory. "Dr. Betts said that I had in fact experienced residual effects from the Zero system, that the heated argument triggered it."

Wufei's hand was on his shoulder again, and another slight squeeze showed his support. He acknowledged it with a nod and continued. "I have no memory of what happened while I was in that void, and like I said, I don't even recall hitting Duo. I only know that when my vision cleared the apartment was wrecked, my fists hurt like hell and Duo was battered, bloody and unconscious on the floor. At first I was afraid that I'd killed him, but when I reached down and touched his neck I felt a steady pulse. His face was covereded with blood, and I was pretty sure I'd broken his nose. But as I moved to check his body for other injuries, I was distracted by the shaking of my hands and realized that I was not in complete control. I was still on the edge of that white killing void and knew I had to get out of there in case I lost it again and killed him. I ran out of our apartment and kept running until I was too tired to think of hurting anyone.

"When I finally stopped, too exhausted to go any further, I wasn't sure where I was. After walking a few blocks, I got myself reoriented and realized I'd run miles away from the apartment. Remembering Duo, and horrified by what had happened and how I'd left him, I turned back, determined to remain calm in order to not repeat what had happened earlier and tend to Duo's wounds and get him the medical help he needed." Heero didn't doubt that the pain he'd felt that day five years ago was etched across his face as well as shame for his actions during those nightmarish hours. "I should never have left him there, unconscious and with unknown injuries," he said in an agonized voice. "But I was honestly afraid of going into a killing mode again, and that whatever was in my head wouldn't be satisfied until the object of my previous anger had been eliminated.

"When I opened the door to the apartment, I was shock by the destruction of the living room. It's ruination spoke loudly of the violent scene I had no memory of. Every piece of furniture was either broken or damaged, the room was in shambles. And worst of all, Duo was gone. The dark blood stain on the carpet was further evidence of what I had done. I went to the bedroom and ascertained that some of his clothes and a duffle bag were missing. I knew without a doubt that I had ruined the best thing that had ever happened to me." Heero stopped at that point, knowing that the other man knew the rest of the story, of how he'd searched for Duo, using his new status as a Preventer to do so. It wasn't until two weeks later that Wufei informed him of Duo having moved to L4 to live with Trowa and Quatre.

Too ashamed to face Wufei after making his confession, Heero kept his eyes averted, unable to bear the other man's disgust. And so they stood in silence, each man lost to his own thoughts of the past for several long moments, watching the traffic go by and people going about their everyday business.

"Quatre called me," Wufei began unexpectedly and in a quiet voice, "He pleaded with me to go to the Shady Glen hotel and check on Duo, who had somehow managed to get a message to him that he was injured and in hiding. There was no answer when I knocked on the door, so I picked the lock and entered the hotel room without permission. How Duo managed to get himself checked into that hotel in his condition I'll never figure out. I didn't have to spend even a moment looking for him. He was lying on the floor, curled on his side and sleeping fitfully with a pool of vomit not three inches from his face. I carefully relocated him to the bed and began to exam his wounds. He was a mess. His nose, a couple of ribs and two fingers were broken, his eyes were bruised and swollen, his lips were split and his gums were bleeding. His abdomen and the skin over his rib cage looked like he'd been hit by a truck. I cleaned him as well as I could manage, but it was a difficult task, given his injuries. I was just about to call for an ambulance when he regained consciousness. He begged me not to seek medical help and stated that he trusted me to set his nose for him." Wufei sighed at that point of his story and brought his hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose as if trying to expunge the memory of that day. "After the wars had ended, I never thought I'd have to do medical field work on a friend ever again.

"I sat all night at his bedside, watching for any signs of internal injuries and feeding him spoonfuls of water so he wouldn't become dehydrated. He complained of his ribs, face and teeth hurting, but there was really nothing I could do for him unless we sought professional help.

"That was one of the most difficult nights I've ever experienced," Wufei said, thinking back on that long day. "During the war Duo always had something to say, even in the direst circumstances. But that night he lay silent and unmoving on that lumpy hotel room bed. I was fearful that he was hiding the true extent of his injuries, that he'd decided dying was better than living. He wouldn't answer my questions about you or what happened so I had no choice other than to wait for Quatre and Trowa to arrive.

"The moment Quatre came into the room Duo broke down. Trowa promptly took my arm and led me out of the room and into the hotel hallway to get my report, so I have no idea what passed between the two after we left. When Quatre opened the door half an hour later, he announced that Duo would be returning with them to L4. They took him first to the former Maguanac base in Saudi Arabia to consult with a doctor Quatre trusted, and two weeks later I got the email telling me that they'd arrived on L4 and asked that I pass a message to you that any attempt to contact them would be rebuffed.

"Despite my inquiries, neither Trowa nor Quatre would divulge what had happened that day, telling me it would be best to let it be. They sent me frequent updates on Duo, his surgeries, how he was doing and what he was up to, but he never emailed me himself. I felt it only right to respect his silence."

While Wufei described Duo's injuries, Heero's stomach twisted into a knot and once again he was filled with painful self-reproach and guilt. Sure, a couple of times he and Duo had sometimes wrestled, knocking each other to the floor when they'd had an argument, but he'd always maintained strict control over his anger and fists, refusing to hit the other provoking teenager no matter how much he'd wanted to at times. Duo could be down right exasperating when he wanted to be, but Heero never believed it was possible that he would strike out at his lover with such ruthlessness. Regardless of the fact that he didn't remember doing it, he now had full knowledge of the damage and pain he'd caused Duo, and it was inexcusable. He couldn't be trusted, he told himself. He deserved all the loneliness and misery he'd experienced during the past five years for what he'd done to his lover.

Something of what he was feeling must have showed on his face, for he felt the weight of Wufei's arm going around his shoulders. "It's in the past now, Heero. He's accepted your apology and his wanting to keep in touch shows he's ready to move on. He's forgiven you."

Heero couldn't keep the tears from welling in his eyes, though rubbing his face roughly helped to keep them contained. It was hard to believe, especially after all these years of remorse and self-loathing, that Duo had truly forgiven him. Though they would probably never be as close as they once were, Heero knew that a door had been opened to a new and cautious start with Duo. For the moment, however, the flood of memories, seeing Duo again and receiving his forgiveness was too much to absorb and he didn't want to talk about it any further without having some time to let everything sink in. Looking up at his friend he said, "We should go and check out the restaurant Duo told us about and verify his alibi."

Wufei's right eyebrow rose in question. "You still suspect him?"

"No, but we have to carry this through like any legitimate investigation, don't we?"

"All right." Wufei's sigh following that reply clearly displayed his belief that confirming Duo's alibi was a waste of time. "Let's hail a cab then we can go back to the hotel room. We can call the restaurant's owner while we check out and let him know we're coming, then fly out later this afternoon." Then giving Heero a searching look he added, "That is unless you'd like to spend the rest of the day here in the city. We could see if Duo wants to get together for dinner?"

Heero shook his head. "Things have turned out better than I could have hoped for. It's probably a good idea to quit while I'm ahead and not push my luck."

The two agents left the air conditioned lobby for the, wet, humid and noisy streets of New York, both feeling a sense of relief and having lighter hearts after their successful visit with their formerly estranged friend.

TBC


	9. Chapter 9

Lies - Between Friends and Lovers  
Dyna Dee  
Part 8

Duo

Quietly shutting the front door behind him, Duo leaned against it for a moment in order to collect himself. He was trembling inside after the encounter with his two former comrades. No, that wasn't entirely true, he corrected himself. This unsettling reaction was a result from seeing Heero again, from dealing with the past and, more specifically, their ugly breakup. A little warning would have been nice, not just the couple of minutes that had passed after the call from the lobby had come with the announcement that two Preventer Agents were requesting to see him. After hearing Jacobson describe them as two Asian men there had been little doubt in his mind as to their identities. He'd only had time to don his robe and go to his guest room to rouse Shelly before the first knock sounded on his front door. Damn, of all nights for she and her boyfriend to have a fight. He sighed deeply and roughly rubbed his hands over his face. Well, there was nothing to be done about it. Shelly had spent more than one night in his guest room due to boyfriend troubles, and he doubted it would be the last.

A smile crept to his lips as he recalled the heated glare Heero had directed at the beautiful actress as he zipped up her dress. Nice move that. There was absolutely no doubt that his former lover had gotten the wrong impression, and the flash of jealousy Heero displayed gave him more pleasure than he cared to admit. He wasn't quite ready to delve into his own response to Heero: his pounding heart, sweaty palms and churning stomach, or what the combination of those three reactions meant. And even though he was happy to have reconnected with Wufei, the Chinese Preventer wasn't the one who had caused him to feel so stressed. At least he'd given a good performance, hiding the fact that Heero's sudden appearance on his doorstep had really rattled him. Hell, he hadn't posed in front of cameras for four years without learning what facial muscles to use to pull off a certain "look". Yup, he was fairly certain he'd hidden his discomfort and acted cool and calm, just like he'd always envisioned himself doing if he and Heero should cross paths.

Locking his front door, more from habit than a precaution, he walked back into the living room and to the sofa, where he sat in the exact spot Heero had occupied five minutes earlier. The leather was still slightly warm, he realized with a slow growing smile. Yet his grin faltered as he caught the direction his thoughts were going and mentally scolded himself for being foolish. After their ugly break up five years ago, he'd be nothing short of a certifiable idiot to read anything into Heero's sudden appearance or his contrite apology. Looking at their encounter logically, Heero's apology was simply nothing more than an attempt to put the past behind him, to clear his conscience. To believe Heero had remained unattached because he might have harbored some kind of romantic feeling towards him was ridiculous. No, just because _he'd_ never been able to exorcize the memory of that untamable, chocolate-colored hair, the deep blue eyes perfectly set on such a handsome, unforgettable face, or the closeness and passion they'd once shared, he had no reason to believe his former lover thought about him as anything other than his first romantic involvement gone bad.

Bringing his legs up, he stretched his long and lean body out along the sofa. Bringing his hand up to his chest, heslipped it into the opening of his robe and took a deep breath, willing himself to calm down. As his heartbeat gradually slowed, he became more aware of the skin beneath his fingertips, that it was soft and warm. Closing his eyes, his thoughts shifted to the past and he remembered how Heero's hands had once caressed his skin. Shifting his hand, he brushed past a puckering nipple and absently toyed with it for a moment, recalling the nearly forgotten memory of how Heero's mouth had teased him and how exciting it had been between them as they shyly explored each other's bodies and discovered the reactions certain touches brought as they ventured into the unknown realm of sex. Yes, most of the time spent he'd been with Heero had been new and wonderful as they journeyed into that pleasurable, formerly unknown territory, and he couldn't regret one moment of their time together, despite their having met and fallen in love while fighting through two wars. Not even their miserable, painful breakup could make him regret what he'd once shared with the boy from L1.

He was still puzzled by the fact that he and Heero had managed to fall in love, despite the harshest of circumstances of war, only to have it all fall apart as soon as they obtained peace for Earth and the colonies and were no longer needed as gundam pilots. Well, at least _he'd_ thought they were no longer needed. Heero, obviously, had other ideas on that subject.

Shit. He removed his hand away from his body and out of his robe and threw his arm over his forehead, letting the cool, satin sleeve rest softly over his eyes. He couldn't help but recall the last time he'd been with Heero. That day was anything but a good memory and it had taken him a long time to get over it, if he ever really had. All the frustration and anger that had been building between them after that damn meeting with Oz's former Colonel Une came to a head on that last day. Why couldn't Heero understand that just being in the room with their former enemy freaked him out? After all, she'd tried to kill him and Wufei when she'd turned off the oxygen to their cell on the moon base. Before that, she'd also threatened to open fire on the helpless colonies if the gundam pilots didn't surrender. Heero almost died as a result of that demand, pushing the self-destruct button on Wing rather than surrender. He didn't trust Lady Une then, and couldn't find it in himself to trust her now as the Director of the Preventers.

But she wasn't the only reason he hadn't wanted to join Preventers. After the second war had come to an end, he just didn't have it in him anymore to fight the good fight. Deathscythe was gone, having been blown into smithereens along with his alter ego, Shinigami, the mystical entity he'd conjured up in his mind that had allowed him to fight like a vengeful demon. No, he never understood why Heero couldn't accept his decision not to be a Preventer, especially after he'd given him his reasons. He'd even pointed out that he'd never been good at taking orders from authority figures and bristled at being told what to do, believing he could figure out a better way of doing things himself. As much as he'd loved Heero, he knew joining ranks with the Preventers just because his lover wanted him to would only lead to disaster. His heart just wasn't into saving the universe, only a small desperate part of it: namely his life with Heero.

Seeing that his thoughts weren't getting him anywhere other than in a depressed mood, he sat up and left the comfortable sofa, wandering over to the windows that looked over Central Park. Damn but he loved the view. Looking down, he caught a glimpse of a taxi pulling up to the curb in front of the apartment building, and two uniformed men rushed out and through the backseat door only seconds before the yellow car zipped out into traffic and joined the many other cars on the busy street. He shouldn't have been surprised by Heero and Wufei showing up on his doorstep, in fact, he'd discussed the possibility with his other two friends. Unfortunately, he'd done exactly what Quatre had told him he shouldn't; he'd accepted Heero's apology and made an overture of friendship. Damn, but his timing sucked. He couldn't afford to be distracted by Heero at the moment. His time, work and freedom were much too important to be endangered by Preventer Yuy and his suspicions. Too many people counted on him to be able to do his job right. Too many lives were on the line for him to mess up. He'd charted the course he was on, knowing there were risks and consequences, but they were worth it. And, dammit, he couldn't let his heart interfere. He gave his head a rueful shake. No doubt about it, his timing always sucked when it came to matters of the heart.

Taking in a deep breath, he slowly let it out again. By the time he took the next one, he had resolved to put Heero out of his mind. He'd accepted the other man's apology and that was that. He wouldn't contact Heero, and if by some small chance the Preventer agent in charge of Relena's disappearance called or emailed him? Well, he'd just wait and see. He had managed to live five years without Heero Yuy in his life, he could survive it if they didn't cross paths again. Trying to convince himself of that, he turned from the scenic view and walked to his bathroom. It was time to put thoughts of his past away and begin yet another busy day, despite it being Sunday.

Heero

Their return to Sanq had been relatively uneventful yet seemed to last just as long as the trip to New York had, with all its delays. It was mid Monday morning before Heero finally unlocked the door to his apartment. The rooms were noticeably stuffy from being closed up for two days, so his first task was to open the windows and let in the cool morning breeze to freshen the stale air. Completing that simple task, he opened his refrigerator and poured himself a tall glass of orange juice. After a couple of swallows he paused, wiping his mouth with the back of his free hand and sighed wearily. He was in need of a good eight hours of sleep, in his own bed. The trip to New York had been unproductive in respect to Relena's disappearance, he reflected. Beginning with his and Wufei's official visit with Duo and ending with a quick visit to the restaurant where the well-known model claimed to have dined the night of Relena's disappearance. Wufei took the official statement from the restaurant's manager who had indeed verified that Duo was there with Alana Stevens, an actress of some renown, though not as wildly popular as her friend Shelly Cheval.

Following that interview the two Preventers then made a hasty return to their hotel. Though they'd checked out before going to the restaurant, the front desk had readily agreed to secure their luggage while they conducted their official business. Once they'd claimed their bags, they took a wild taxi ride to the airport only to wait for three hours before boarding the next flight to London. Inclement weather kept the plane circling Heathrow for more than an hour before landing and then they waited another two hours for the departure of their flight to Sanq. Once the plane had touched down on more familiar soil, he and Wufei drove directly to the office in the wee hours of the morning to file a quick report, after which they had every intention of going home and catching up on some much needed sleep. Having submitted their report they stopped by the cafeteria for breakfast only to find it closed for yet another hour. They reluctantly settled for grabbing a bite to eat from the vending machines before parting ways.

As the agent in charge of Relena's case, he could only conclude that the trip to New York was a washout, but Heero was secretly glad with the outcome. Several workers in the Italian restaurant had unequivocally verified Duo had been dining in that establishment on the night Relena disappeared, immediately removing his name from Preventers' Persons of Interest list. On a personal level, however, his meeting with Duo had been more successful than he could have possibly hoped for. Not only had his former lover listened to his apology, but he'd accepted it as well. Even now, a day later, he could scarcely believe it. For five long years he'd felt the weight of remorse and guilt in both his heart and mind. Wufei had been right, he'd wrapped those feeling like a millstone around his neck. They had effectively crippled any chance he had for being successful in another relationship, of getting over Duo and moving on with his life. And to be truthful, he had tried to move forward.

It was more than a year after Duo had fled the planet with Quatre and Trowa before he'd felt lonely enough to work up the nerve to try dating again. Yet each person he took out failed to spark any strong feelings within him, other than short-term attraction. He quickly lost interest in each and every date after discovering some inexcusable flaw in their character, personality or conduct. He never found anyone as stimulating, amusing or satisfying as Duo had been.

For a long time the American had haunted his thoughts during the day and visions of his former lover followed him into his dreams at night. He'd wake up some mornings with an aching erection that had been fueled by dreams of nights long past, of hands that worked magic on his body, of a mouth that teased and aroused his passion. Their physical coupling had always been amazing and more than satisfying, and he hadn't realized until he'd engaged in sex with several would-be lovers that what he and Duo shared had been something special, far more intimate than just having sex and seeking release of pent up desires. He'd come to the conclusion that it had been their mutual, emotional connection that had made their love making a more intense and satisfying experience. He'd never felt that way with anyone else he'd had sex with. He'd known from the very beginning of their relationship that his feelings for Duo were unique, especially when he experienced a sense and almost overwhelming sense of urgency when it came to the long-haired pilot. His need to touch Duo was, at times, almost unbearable. His fear for the other boy's safety and well being had been incessant, and most of all, his need for the long-haired pilot was like he'd nothing he'd ever experienced before, and sometimes that need even threatened to override his objectives for winning the war against the enemies of the space colonies.

It had taken him a long time, months after Duo had been taken to L4, to realize that what he'd felt for the other boy could mean only one thing, that he had been deeply, irrevocably in love with his teenage lover. Seeing him again in New York, after five long and lonely years, he realized his feelings for the American hadn't changed, despite Duo being more unattainable than ever. He'd blown his chance for happiness a long time ago. Recalling again that his own actions had cost him the one person who fit him perfectly, who made him feel whole and what it was to be loved, dimmed the flicker of hope he'd felt upon leaving Duo's apartment the day before, on better terms with his former lover. Duo would never give him a second chance, he sadly admitted to himself.

Shaking himself out of his dreary thoughts, he found himself standing in the doorway of his kitchen, facing the living room and in danger of spilling the forgotten glass of juice in his slack hand. Foolish, he thought, to be wool gathering when he had other concerns to attend to. He finished drinking the rest of his orange juice, rinsed out the glass and then walked with purposeful strides towards his bedroom and began to undress, tossing his discarded clothing onto a nearby chair. Naked now and with the sudden urge to be clean, he strolled from his room the short distance to the bathroom intending to take a quick shower.

While standing under the stream of hot water, he couldn't help but review his entire conversation with Duo, hoping to find some clue that might hint at his former lover wanting him back as more than just a friend. The popular model had shown compassion by accepting his apology, but he recalled that Duo hadn't tried to touch him, nor did he invite him to stay. If he were interested, he was certain that Duo would have flirted, maybe even venturing to invite him back for a drink or meet somewhere for a coffee, giving them an opportunity to mend the five-year gap in their lives. That Duo hadn't reached out to him in any such way left him feeling like a door had been slammed in his face. He'd asked Duo to email him, but would he? Should he be the one to make the next move? He vaguely recalled the other man telling him to drop him a line.

He left the shower and returned to his room, wiping the excess moisture from his body as he went. With a last vigorous rub of his wet hair, he tossed the damp towel on top of his discarded uniform. He knew he shouldn't leave a wet towel on top of his work clothes, but at the moment he was just too tired and preoccupied with thoughts of Duo to care.

Throwing back the blankets on his bed, he climbed between the sheets and luxuriated in the feel of the cool cotton against his skin. Pulling the covers up to his shoulders, he tucked his arms beneath them, curled onto his side and settled himself for sleep.

Duo's face was the image he visualized behind his closed eyelids. He envisioned the man wearing the short, brown silk robe he's worn the day before, which clung in an enticing manner to his tall, slender frame. His own body began to react to the tantalizing memory, and in the safety of his bedroom he allowed his mind to fuel his body's urges. Rolling onto his back, he reached down to the waking member at the juncture of his legs and began to encourage the ache there, imagining it was Duo's hand on him. And instead of his own fingertips brushing across his chest, it was Duo's seductive lips teasing his stomach and nipples. He arched upward, craving the imagined meeting of their bodies and turned his neck to the side, anticipating the soft yet knowledgeable lips pressing against his pulse. The fantasy continued until he found a gasping rush of release that was almost instantly followed by an emotional letdown. As his heart slowed and the euphoria of his orgasm ebbed, he threw an arm over his forehead and sighed with disappointment, knowing that the fantasy he frequently conjured in his mind could never match up to the real Duo Maxwell.

The sound of his phone ringing woke Heero at approximately two p.m. Sitting up in his bed and willing himself to focus, he answered it, mildly distracted by the dry cum on his belly and hand. "Hello," he said in a gruff voice.

"Yuy?" It was Milliardo Peacecraft.

"Yeah."

"I was wondering if you were coming into the office this afternoon."

"Has something new come up?"

There was a lengthy pause before the other man answered. "No, but I was hoping you might look over what we have to see if you can come up with a new direction in Relena's case."

Heero mentally sighed, knowing Peacecraft was rightly fretting over his sister's disappearance. He didn't have any family of his own, but he knew from past experience how much it hurt not to know where Duo had gone after their last fight or even if he'd gotten the medical help he was sure he'd needed. Regardless of Milliardo's anxiousness, there wasn't much to go on. Still, he found himself capitulating to the neediness in the other man's voice. "Sure. I'll look it over. I'll be there in roughly a half hour, but don't get your hopes up. From what I've seen, neither Relena or her kidnapers left a trail to follow. Without a ransom note or a body we don't have anything to go by at the moment."

"I refuse to give up on her, Yuy." From the sound of it, Peacecraft was becoming angry but whether it was with him or the situation he wasn't sure.

"I didn't say you should," he replied. "I'm just telling you not to get your hopes up."

Pause. "So Maxwell didn't pan out?"

"No. He has a solid alibi for that night and time Relena disappeared."

"It's not that I wanted to find out he was involved," the blond man said, "I was just hoping for a lead, some clue, any clue that might help us find her."

Heero could hear the anguish in the other man's voice. Having learned of Milliardo's past, that he'd lost his entire family and even Relena for many years, he could understand his desperation to find his sister. "I know," he answered sympathetically. "We just have to believe she's all right."

Another long pause ensued before the blond ended the call, saying, "I'll see you in a half hour then."

"Right." Heero hung up the phone and resigned himself to spending the rest of the evening going over statements, passenger lists for airline, train and car rental businesses, searching for some clue as to what happened to Relena Peacecraft.

It was nearing 11 p.m. before Heero was able to call it a night. He gave his computer a disgusted look for its failure to yield any results after he'd spent hours viewing the data that had been gathered from hotel registries, logs from the city's taxi service during the night Relena had disappeared. As he predicted earlier that day, the airline passenger lists were thoroughly scanned, but to no avail. The trail, if there had ever really been one, had gone cold. Discouraged by their lack of progress, Noin had left the building four hours earlier, with Milliardo following two hours later. Both had dark circles under their eyes and were haggard in appearance. Relena's disappearance was exacting a toll on her family, and Heero wondered if he should ask that the two be removed from the case. He immediately squelched that idea. With two large, concurrent and important cases, he needed all the help he could get. The one thing he could count on was Milliardo's complete dedication to finding Relena.

Grabbing his keys and wallet, Heero left his office, turning the light off as he went. Tomorrow they'd try again from a different angle. Having found nothing suspicious other than a few petty criminals working scams within the travel industry, he'd spoken to Milliardo about obtaining the logs from companies having made outgoing shipments from Sanq within forty-eight hours from Relena's disappearance. The tall blond agreed to get onto it first thing in the morning.

The Chinese food Noin had delivered for their dinner earlier that evening had not settled well in his stomach, and as he drove out of the nearly empty parking lot, he decided he was going to have to drink some of that pink, chalk-like medicine that sat in his cabinet if he was going to get any sleep.

With the radio off, he drove in the direction of his apartment while his mind wandered back to the day before, and more specifically to Duo Maxwell. Duo had always been attractive, but Heero had to admit he'd never been more appealing than he had been standing in the doorway of his apartment, with his hair slightly mussed and wearing the bronze, silk robe and boxers. Duo had exuded an inordinate amount of confidence and sex appeal, even though he was obviously less than pleased to see who had come knocking at his door that morning. And those eyes of his, they had been the windows to so many emotions: anger, pride, and disdain. They were magnificent. But it was the memory of those blue-violet eyes softening just before they'd parted ways that came back to him throughout the day, and the memory was still there, even now when he was tired and wanting nothing more but to go to bed.

Heero suddenly became aware that he was parked in his assigned space at his apartment. He blinked, wondering how he'd gotten there so quickly. His grip on the steering wheel tightened as he realized he'd fantasized about Duo all the way home, conjuring up in his mind the delectable image the American had presented them the day before. "Idiot!" He mentally chastised himself for his daydreaming. He had two important cases to concentrate on and didn't have time to spare for personal thoughts and fantasies.

Getting out of his car, he locked it then headed for the elevator. As he took the final steps towards his home, he came to the decision that he should banish any thoughts and images of Duo Maxwell from his mind – at least until he solved both mysteries of Relena's disappearance and the identity of the space marauders. And after that? Well, he would just have to wait and see.

TBC

Author's note: Sorry it's taken me so long to post. I'm absolutely hooked on the Olympics, beginning with that fantastic opening ceremony. I'll try to force myself to work on the next part this week, now that the swimming and guynastics are almost over.


	10. Chapter 10

Lies - Between Friends and Lovers  
Part 9

Heero

Five days had passed since he'd returned from New York and Heero was just about to pull out his hair from sheer frustration. He and his team had failed to unearth any significant leads on Relena's kidnaping, that is _if_ she had been kidnaped. The only thing they could be certain of was that she'd left her home on her own, alone and in disguise. It seemed highly unlikely that in a moment of spontaneity she'd left Sanq of her own accord. It would be completely out of character for her to be that inconsiderate or to cause anyone, especially her family and friends, to worry needlessly about her welfare. With the lack of leads or evidence regarding her sudden disappearance, it did indeed appear as if she'd simply dropped off the face of the planet.

A ridiculously large group of journalists and crews from the major news agencies had set up camp outside the front entrance of the Preventers' building shortly after the first rumors of Relena's mysterious disappearance had begun to surface. Their vans, equipped with satellite dishes and editing equipment, lined the streets and surrounded the city block, disrupting businesses while at the same time boosting their incomes with their persistent presence. The eager and tenacious reporters shouted out questions about Relena and the investigation to each and every Preventer entering or leaving the building. They were beyond annoying.

Irritated by the gauntlet of reporters he'd been forced to pass through on his way into the office, Heero forced himself to unclench his teeth as he doggedly made his way to Wufei's office, having been informed a half hour earlier that the other agent was being sent back into space. Two consecutive raids on cargo laden space freighters had occurred within the past two days, carried out with the same M.O. from previous attacks. Unfortunately, he wouldn't be accompanying his fellow agent into space. While Relena's disappearance continued to make headline news and the pressure for answers mounted from both government leaders and the public, his continued presence on Earth, as the lead investigator, was more important than ever - or so Director Une had informed him.

Turning into Wufei's office, Heero stopped short, floored at seeing none other than Trowa Barton sitting on the edge of the Chinese man's desk, dressed casually in jeans and a brown v-neck sweater with a white T-shirt peeking out from the neckline. "What's going on?" he asked, still slightly stunned and bewildered by the unexpected presence of the auburn haired man. He recalled the conversation Director Une had with Quatre and Trowa right after Relena's disappearance, with both men stating they were not available to lend their expertise to finding the important young woman. So what was Trowa doing here?

The auburn-haired man gave him a nod in greeting at his entrance while Wufei, sitting at his desk, duly explained his presence. "After learning from Une that you were going to be earth side for awhile, I called Barton to see if he could lend me a hand with the Marauder case. With her permission, of course. It was fortunate that he was with Quatre in London at the time of my call, conducting business."

Heero frowned as he addressed Trowa. "I thought you were too busy to help."

"Quatre and I have a vested interest in finding out who these marauders are," Trowa explained in his usual calm manner. "They've boarded more than a few freighter shuttles leaving Winner resource satellites en route to L4. The freighter boarded yesterday is owned by the Winner Corporation."

"So catching the marauders is your motivation for assisting us now, and Relena's disappearance is not a priority?" Heero asked, one eyebrow rising in question.

A small apologetic smile came to the other man's lips. "It's not that we don't care what happens to her, but let's just say I don't like operating this far from home. While working with Wufei in space to solve this case, I can lend him my expertise, mine and Quatre's support, and still be home in time for dinner."

"You've got to be kidding me?" Heero asked, clearly disbelieving the other man's reasoning.

A look of pity flashed in Trowa's eyes before it disappeared completely. "It's all about priorities, Heero. My life with Quatre, making our relationship work, is my top priority. Of course there are a lot of other things that are important to me, but he takes precedence over everything else." Then with a hint of a smile he added, "And it just so happens that he likes me home for dinner at night." There was a sparkle in the man's green eyes that told Heero that Trowa didn't have any objections to his lover's request for his nightly presence. In fact, being wanted and needed appeared to make the taller man happy and content. Heero found himself grudgingly envious of the relationship his two former friends maintained.

In the back of his mind a stray thought formed. If he'd made Duo a priority, respecting his decision about not joining Preventers, he might have been living a happier, more fulfilling life than the one he had now.

Moving to sit in the vacant chair in front of Wufei's desk, he looked to the man seated on the other side. "So what's the plan?"

Wufei leaned forward as he spoke. "I've just received word regarding the discovery of large stash of goods, purportedly similar to the items stolen by the raiders. They were found on a new, nearly completed resource satellite near L3. An building inspector dropped by unexpectedly to insure the outer seals of the structure were being welded properly and he found the unmarked crates. Upon examination, it was discovered that they were filled with food and clothing. We'll interview the men working on that satellite to determine if they might have some connection to the marauders."

Heero nodded, silently wishing he could be going into space with the other two. Even though finding Relena was a priority, having so little to go on was making the case impossible to solve.

"From there," Wufei continued, "we'll try to track down the Sweepers. There's only a handful of people on the Earth or the colonies who know anything about stealth technology. Since Duo's every move is captured in pictures by the press and we have his alibi for the night of her disappearance, I think it would be more worthwhile to find Howard and question him about any information he might have regarding the marauder's stealth ship."

"That sounds like a logical course to take," Heero said looking thoughtful. However, at the mention of the American's name, images flashed into his mind of the lusciously lean man with his tousled hair and the damned bronze silk bedclothes clinging to his body. Hiding his sudden physical reaction caused by that particular mental image, Heero coughed into his hand, crossed his left leg over his right, and broke eye contact with the other two men.

Wufei continued, obviously not sensing Heero's discomfort. "We'll follow any leads we get from our interview with Howard and go from there."

Heero nodded. "Be sure to submit a report to me daily so that I'll be up to speed when I join you, after Relena's been found."

"You think she will be?" Trowa asked, his tone neutral. "Wufei told me that a ransom demand hasn't been received nor has any claim of responsibility for her disappearance been made."

"There's no indication that she's been killed," Heero snapped back, irritated by Trowa's outward calm. He'd had to deal everyday with buoying up Milliardo, Noin and many government officials, encouraging them not to think the worst. Though with each passing day it was becoming more difficult not to give into their fears that they might never learn what had happened to her.

The auburn haired man said nothing further but his green eyes remained fixed on Heero, making him feel strangely uncomfortable. Heero looked to Wufei, then back to Trowa. "You two won't have any trouble working with each other, right?"

Both men looked surprised by the question. "No," they answered simultaneously.

"Are you assuming there's trouble between us?" Trowa asked, wearing a puzzled expression.

Heero felt somewhat embarrassed. "No. I suppose I presumed that because you haven't worked together for a couple of years it might be difficult to pick up where we left off as comrades in war."

Wufei stood from his chair, closed the folder resting on top of his desk and picked it up. "Trowa, Quatre and I have remained in contact. Perhaps not as often as we should have, but we don't feel like strangers either," he said. "I've got to return this file to Une. I'll be back in a couple of minutes." Without another word he left the room and the two other men by themselves.

With Wufei's exit, Heero immediately felt the large gulf, caused by time and circumstance, separate himself from the other man in the room. He recalled the past, during the first war, how he and Trowa used to be able to enjoy the silence together, to understand each other perfectly without many words being spoken. After pushing the self-destruct button on Wing, Trowa had picked up his broken body and carried him back to the circus. Once he'd awakened, he learned the Heavyarms pilot had been caring for him, nursing him back to health. It took some time before he felt well enough to carry on much of a conversation with the other gundam pilot, but Trowa hadn't required anything of him. During that long stretch of time where he lay in bed, unable to move, Trowa had sat by his side, equally and comfortably quiet. The two of them came to appreciate each other's presence more than any conversation they might have had, which would undoubtedly have been about the war.

Heero couldn't help but wonder where that feeling of being comfortable in each other's presence had gone. Of course he knew their friendship had been tarnished after he'd hurt Duo, but he hadn't thought he'd lose nor miss his former comrades as much as he had.

"Are you happy, Heero?"

Trowa's sudden and unexpected question startled him from his thoughts. "What?"

"Are you happy?"

Happiness was a subjective term, wasn't it? Was he happy? He didn't feel he was unhappy, but he also knew there were areas in his life that felt unfulfilled. "I'm not unhappy," he replied.

"Dating or involved with anyone?"

Heero frowned, not comfortable talking about his personal life, or rather the lack of one. "Not that it's anyone's business, but no, not recently." He wasn't about to tell the other man that his so-called love life sucked, to coin one of Duo's phrases. He could count on one hand how many people he'd gone out with during the last couple of years, and the majority of those dates had taken place because he'd been asked out. Sadly, he'd always found the other person lacking when he ultimately compared them with his first lover, and evidently he'd been somewhat less than a great date because the invitations were rarely extended a second time and never a third.

"I understand you went to New York and questioned Duo regarding Relena's disappearance."

"Yes." He knew his short answers were probably frustrating to the other man, but he was asking some personal questions after all, so he didn't harbor much guilt at being short on words.

There were a few awkward moments of silence before Trowa spoke again. "It's good that he's forgiven you."

He studied Trowa's face, seeing no anger or resentment there, just acceptance.

"Are you and Quatre still angry with me?"

Trowa shrugged. "We were naturally upset that you hurt Duo and that he'd had to undergo several surgeries to repair the damage you caused, but he stated over and over that he was as much at fault as you were, that he'd verbally struck back at you with words that hit below the belt. Quatre and I decided to respect Duo's wishes that we not blame you entirely for what happened."

"So for these five years I've wrongly believed that you'd cut me out of your lives?"

"During the first year, as Duo recovered from the reconstructive surgeries, the anger we felt towards you for his injuries was still there, but it faded in time. When you never made any attempt to contact us or Duo, Quatre and I could only conclude that was the way you wanted things to end."

Heero felt as if he'd been sucker punched. For five years he'd thought the three of them hated him, blamed him entirely for the breakup. And who was to blame? He was honest enough with himself to admit, after recalling bits and pieces of that day, he had only himself to blame. Sure, the Preventer's head shrink had put the blame for his berserker attack as a residual side effect from the Zero System. But he should have known something was dreadfully wrong. After all, he'd had several lapses of control just after the first war, but he thought, after a couple of months had passed, that he'd overcome the effects of the Zero System by sheer will alone. Having flown Wing again during the Barton uprising had evidently triggered something within him, causing him to blow the whole situation with Duo out of proportion. With Zero removing his natural restraints, he'd viciously struck out at his lover, the source of his frustration and anger at that moment. Still, it was no excuse. During the days and months following that horrendous day, he'd been wracked with guilt, and had dedicated himself to working closely with his psychiatrist to overcome the guilt, nightmares and control any impulse to lash out, as he had with Duo. Never again would he allow himself to lose control like he had that day. A great feeling of loss filled him after learning that if he'd bent some of his pride he could have had Duo's forgiveness earlier and two friends back in his life.

"I'm sorry," he said, refocusing on the other man. "I thought you and Quatre were Duo's staunch allies and that you didn't want to hear from me ever again. At least that was what I understood from the message Wufei gave me."

"We were angry at first, and rightly so. Duo was in bad shape, Heero, and you have Quatre to thank that you're walking and breathing today. After reaching the hotel room and seeing what you'd done to him, I was beyond furious and determined to hunt you down to take revenge for him, especially since Duo was in no shape to do it himself. Quatre convinced me that Duo's welfare was more important than seeking revenge."

Heero was at a loss for what else he could say about the day he'd like to forget. He wanted to explain his actions, but wasn't sure if Trowa would believe him regarding the effects of Zero. Unfortunately, that day kept coming back to him, heaping even more guilt and regret upon his shoulders.

He was spared any further comment when Wufei came back into the room and announced that he was ready to go. He threw a small object towards Trowa and the auburn-haired man caught it easily. Heero watched as the taller man flipped the leather cover opened and with a wry smile Trowa announced, "I suppose this means I am officially a Preventer." He turned the object in his hand, showing Heero the familiar Preventer badge."

"On a temporary, 'as needed' basis," Wufei corrected as he took a couple of objects out of his desk drawer, shoved them into his pant's pocket, then grabbed his jacket off the stand behind his desk. 'That's it," he announced, then looking at his new partner said, "I'm ready to go if you are, Trowa."

Standing, Heero shook hands with the departing agents, wishing them good luck. Wufei had given both he and Trowa a questioning look, but neither man felt inclined to inform him of what had transpired between them moments before.

"We'll keep in touch," the Chinese man said. With a curt nod of their heads, the three parted ways, and Heero watched them go, feeling a surprising sense of loss at their departure.

Following them out the door, Heero turned in the opposite direction, his destination being the Director's office. He'd been asked to report in with her each time he entered the builidng. As he walked, he found himself feeling troubled about the conversation he'd had with Trowa. There was something about Trowa and Quatre's sudden decision to help them that bothered him. The two, non-Preventers had not been consulted about the marauders during the meeting where they had been asked to help find Relena, so there hadn't been a choice between the two cases at that time. But Trowa's unexpected appearance and his reasons for stepping up now to help to discover the identities of space bandits just seemed... odd.

He shook his head. Maybe the niggling doubt about his former comrades' intentions came from his being a Preventer for the past five years, searching for and fighting the bad guys. He'd developed the habit of being suspicious of just about everyone and their motives. Knowing that about himself, he tucked away his doubts about Trowa and what his intentions for helping might be. If there was an ulterior motive for his volunteering to help Wufei on the marauder case, Heero could only hope that Trowa was acting to protect Quatre's name and his family's investments rather than for anything illicit.

Reaching Une's door at last, he took a deep breath to prepare himself for the meeting, dreading to report that nothing new had been discovered in Relena's case. He sensed that this was the beginning of yet another long day.

TBC


	11. Chapter 11

Lies - Between Friends and Lovers  
CHAPTER 10  
Duo

Moments after entering his apartment, a bag of Chinese take-out clutched in one hand and his keys in the other, Duo heard the phone ring. Setting both items down on a nearby table, he moved quickly to the vid phone and answered it. He smiled after seeing his own reflection staring back at him. "Taylor! Hey, what's up?"

"Just checking in to see if there's been any changes in the schedule," his duplicate answered with a slight grin.

Perhaps because it had been over two years since they'd begun working together, Duo could easily detect the minor differences in their appearances that set them apart, even though they'd diligently worked at perfecting the deception. Taylor's mouth was slightly different: his lips a tad thinner and his smile was perhaps just a bit less cynical than his own. Then there was the matter of his eyes. Even though Taylor had undergone several cosmetic surgeries, the other former L2 resident couldn't help the fact that his eyes were slightly smaller than his own, though the color of the irises appeared the same, thanks to the tinted contact lenses. And though Taylor did his best to mimic Duo's mannerisms, especially in public, his smile was too bright and his eyes practically radiated with unbridled happiness and excitement. Those were two emotions Duo rarely saw reflected back in his mirror each morning while he shaved. Other than those differences, the man on the vid screen acted and looked very much like his identical twin, thanks to the plastic surgeon on L3 who had been paid very well to insure the doctor/patient confidentiality agreement was never breached.

He had Hilde to thank for finding Taylor. Having been troubled by his very public life ever since his first layout in a prominent magazine, modeling Alaya Winner's clothing, he'd sought for an escape from the intrusion of the persistent paparazzi and the curiosity of the public at large about his life, which he had ever intention of keeping private.

Posing for Alaya was the last thing he'd ever imagined himself doing. Once she'd set her sights on him, she'd badgered him for several months, declaring he was the model she wanted to launch her new clothing line. He insisted that he wasn't suitable for the job. He wasn't a model. But she wouldn't be dissuaded. He should have known that she was like her brother in at least one respect, they both had a bulldog tenacity to achieve whatever they set their sights on. It was a genetic trait that was obviously inherited by more than one Winner.

After initially failing to convince him to model for her, Alaya pulled out all the stops by going to Quatre and begging him to speak with his friend, to urge him change his mind. After all Quatre had done for him, Duo could deny him nothing. So he caved in, gritted his teeth and reluctantly showed up at the clothing designer's studio to offer her his services.

Of course he needed to have some basic instructions on how to model, but the photographer hired for the job and reputed to be one of the best in the industry, more or less gushed that Duo simply ate up the camera, that he was born to be photographed.

His first photo session was an onerous ordeal to get through, but his perception of the job changed after he had his first paycheck in hand. The sum made out to him nearly brought him to his knees. He hadn't legitimately earned and banked that much money in his entire lifetime to that point. It was enough of an incentive to take him back to Alaya's studio for a few more sessions. After a couple more paychecks, ideas began to form of possibilities for the good he could do with his newfound wealth. He continued to model and contracted with a notable modeling agency in New York that successfully guided him into a spotlight usually held by female models alone. In a relatively short time he had become as popular as a movie star or pop musician, and his income was just as impressive.

His newfound fame also brought his life out into the open. The paparazzi seemed to come out of the woodwork and they plagued him day and night. He'd complained of this problem to Hilde on a vid call weeks before the UEC sanctions were placed on his ever-troubled home colony. Despite the problems he knew Hilde was having on L2, their friendship was such that he felt comfortable voicing his frustration. She listened patiently as he worried about the attempts by the press to intrude into his carefully guarded private life. He'd flippantly wished he had an identical twin to take the heat off so he could have some privacy.

After a pause, Hilde recalled that just a week before she'd done a double-take at someone hanging around at the bar near the shipping yard who could have passed for his brother. After she'd gotten a good look at him, she could see the guy's hair and facial features were different, but that he was physically built just like her best friend, lean and wiry and the shape of his face was also similar.

They didn't linger very long on the subject of his lookalike, and it didn't spark anything but mild interest in him until a couple of days later. Then out of the blue the idea came to him that this similar-looking guy might possibly be the solution to several of his current problems.

He booked a seat on a shuttle going to L-1 where he made contact with Howard, who was busy installing his latest version of his patent-pending cloaking system in one of his new and sleek smaller ships. Together the two of them went to L2 while Hilde began to search for the guy she'd described.

She found him in the same bar where she'd spotted him weeks before and learned that his name was Taylor Mann. She introduced herself and asked him if he might be interested in a lucrative business venture that would take him off of L2.

Keeping to the promise he'd made after the war not to set foot on L2 ever again, Duo met the willing-to-listen man on Howard's ship, docked in that colony's shuttle port. He wasn't surprised to learn that Taylor, a year or so younger than himself, had also been an orphan and a street brat. Yet with some of the improvements to the colony immediately after the first war, the lanky man with thick and shaggy mousy-brown hair had been one of the fortunate ones to have secured a full-time job working six days a week as a garbage technician and spent his evenings in bars and nightclubs. Taylor wasn't his mirror image, but as Hilde had described earlier, he was similar in build, slender and with a facial bone structure much like his own. The shape of their eyes was different, as was their eye color, with Taylor's being green. Their noses didn't match either, but their mouths were similar. Taylor's teeth, of course, needed a lot of work, though as Duo had learned the hard way, there wasn't anything that oral or plastic surgeons couldn't alter or repair.

Taylor treated Duo with suspicion during that first meeting. Of course he recognized the long-haired young man; almost everyone on the colony had learned who their gundam pilot had been, and his popularity among celebrities and the media was well known at that point. It took three days and the promise of a better life as well as a debit card worth 20,000 credits and the guarantee of more to come for Taylor to agree to the proposal. From there an odd working and soon to be brother/brother relationship began. Frankly, if his counterpart had known at that point how much pain was involved in the plastic and oral surgeries he was to undergo, the young man who signed on to be Duo's future double might have reconsidered.

"Glad you rang, Tay. I was going to call you after dinner. Something's come up and I need you to cover for me tomorrow for that movie premiere and the after party I told you about last week. Do you want me to get you a date or do you want to go solo?"

The grin on the other man's face widened. "Well, since you're asking, how about Alana Stevens? She and I got on pretty well the last time we hooked up."

Duo frowned. "You know what I told you about getting involved, Tay. Don't let anyone get too close. The more familiar someone becomes with you, the greater the chance is we'll be found out."

Taylor nodded, sobering slightly. "And then I'd be out of a job. I'm not stupid, Duo. I'm not about to mess up this gig. It's too important."

Duo studied his near perfect reflection a moment, then nodded, seeing that Taylor understood the seriousness of the situation. "If we're lucky we'll be free of all this in a month or two."

Retaining a serious demeanor, Taylor asked, "We'll still be friends when all this is over, won't we?"

"Of course," Duo replied with a reassuring smile. "I told you, I never forget my friends."

"Or your enemies."

"That too."

Duo frowned as he tackled the next problem facing them. "There's been a new development. Someone you need to be wary of."

"Who?"

"Heero Yuy."

The young man's eyes, naturally green when the tinted contacts that induced the preferred blue-violet shade of Duo's eyes had been removed, widened in surprise. "Your ex?"

Duo nodded, well aware that his counterpart had been given a brief history of himself and Heero when they'd started working together. Anyone Duo had known that Taylor might run across had been discussed, their pictures and profiles studied and memorized.

"He and Wufei Chang, another former comrade, came here in the capacity of Preventer agents, investigating the kidnaping of Relena Peacecraft."

"They think you're involved with that?"

"Nah. They were fishing, looking for any clues. I don't think they know what to make of her disappearance."

"So you think I'll run into Yuy?"

"God, I hope not," Duo said, running his hand through the hair draped over his forehead. "He's sharp. Nothing gets past him."

Taylor chuckled. "Except us."

"Damn straight," Duo grinned back. "Honestly, though, I don't think he'll be coming around again. As long as Relena is missing, he's gonna be occupied elsewhere."

"I hope you're right, for our sakes."

Duo nodded in complete agreement with his friend. "Now, as for tomorrow, you can call Alana and see if she's available. But I'm warning you, Tay, don't let her think there's a future between you two. And for God's sake, if you have sex with her, use protection."

The other man rolled his eyes, and answered in an annoyed tone, "You've only given me that lecture a couple hundred times. I get it, all right?"

"I know, but we can't be too careful. If she were to get pregnant.." Duo left the rest of that thought unfinished. Taylor knew the consequences of any irresponsible action on his part. Looking almost exactly like him, Duo, his benefactor, would be the one to pay and take responsibility for any wrong doing.

"I'll be careful. Trust me," Taylor said with conviction, wanting Duo to believe him.

He was rewarded with a grin and a flash of perfectly straight and white teeth that was the mirror image of his own.

"All right," Duo said after a slight pause. "If you have any questions you can try texting me, but I'll pretty much be out of contact for at least 24 hours. If anything unexpected comes up, stay in my apartment and don't answer the door or phone. I'll handle whatever the problem is when I get back."

"There won't be any problems so don't worry about it," Taylor assured him. "We've been doing this long enough that I know what to say and when to cut out of a situation. I can handle anything that comes up."

"Glad to hear it," Duo replied. "I'll give you a call as soon as I return. Consider yourself on the job."

Taylor gave him a mock salute and signed off. With a sigh, Duo hit the end call button. He could only hope the other man didn't get him involved in yet another public scandal that would take him weeks to recover from in the public's eye. The blunder he'd made several months ago with the wife of a well-known and beloved actor had hit the tabloids and entertainment gossip columns almost immediately. Sure, that as well as other escapades of his and Taylor's doing had kept him pretty popular, increasing his fees for modeling and public appearances, but he detested having his name smeared and mopping up Taylor's mistakes. He could only hope the other man, who still possessed a wild streak that came from having lived on the streets of L2, behaved himself for just a little while longer. Not too much longer, he hoped. Picking up the bag he'd carried home, Duo took it into his much neglected kitchen to reheat and then eat his dinner.

TBC


	12. Chapter 12

**Lies - Between Friends and Lovers**

**Chapter 11**

"Agent Chang?" A slim brunet shuttle stewardess, dressed in a fitted white jumpsuit with a blue shuttle insignia over her left breast, quietly uttered Wufei's name in an attempt to wake him from his brief nap and not draw the attention of the other resting passengers. Dark eyes snapped open and immediately focused on the pretty young woman hovering next to his reclined seat.

"Yes?"

"There's a tight-band message for you. The captain asked me to bring you his headphones in order for you to receive the call."

This was highly unusual, he thought, repositioning the back of his seat to its upright position while accepting the headset the woman held out to him. She gave him a brief smile and moved away in order to give him some privacy. He slipped the device into place and checked the time on his watch. It was 3:18 a.m.

"What it is?" Trowa asked quietly, having woken up from the slight disturbance.

Holding up his hand, Wufei signaled that he was listening for that information.

"This is Agent Chang," Wufei announced quietly, acutely aware of the slumbering passengers around him.

"Agent Donnihan, stationed on L4. I called you about the latest attacks?"

"Of course." Wufei acknowledged, now recalling the other man's voice. "What's going on?"

"I was informed by command that you were on your way to take over the marauder investigation, Agent Chang, and I received additional information that I thought you might want to hear."

"This couldn't wait until I arrived?" he asked, looking at his traveling companion.

"I'll leave that answer up to you," the faceless man answered, sounding both confident and competent. "Our L4 unit has been investigating the rash of marauder attacks on this colony's freighters, and we've intercepted and traced a suspicious transmission from a nearby abandoned resource satellite. I can give you the coordinates and you can meet us there, or if you prefer, my team could wait for your arrival and we can investigate the facility under your command."

Wufei was pleased with the man's professionalism. The marauders presented the opportunity for any colony based officer to move up in rank. Having stepped forward in the investigation, bringing his name and talents to the attention of the higher ups, basically assured the man of a promotion_ if _the marauders were captured and brought to trial due to his initiative and detective work. Donnihan had also just proved himself ambitious by contacting the officer in charge and giving Wufei the information and offering him the chance to take over or delegate.

Checking his watch, Wufei calculated the time difference before answering. "This is the second suspected site that has been located." He thought for a moment about his next move, then after deciding he said, "We should be docking on L4 in two and a half hours. Prepare an armed shuttle and assault team and be ready to leave the moment I arrive."

"Yes, sir," the man snapped back, obviously a former military man used to receiving orders.

"And Donnihan?"

"Yes,"

"Thank you for contacting me. I look forward to working with you."

"Thank you, sir. We'll be ready to set out as soon as you arrive."

Hearing the line go dead, Wufei slipped the pilot's gear from his head and held them out, signaling to the stewardess that he had finished. She came immediately and retrieved the communication device, accepting his thanks before turning back towards the cockpit to return the headgear to the shuttle's captain.

Wufei waited until she had gone to inform Trowa of the conversation. "An abandoned resource satellite makes sense," Trowa said thoughtfully. "These ships have virtually come and gone without a trace. They're certainly not docking on any colony where their comings and goings would be logged into the system. A newly built or abandoned resource satellite would be perfect for clandestine activities."

"It's hard to imagine a valuable commodity such as a resource satellite could be abandoned so completely that it could be used for pirating. Perhaps there is collusion between the marauders and a legitimate business man looking to make some profit that can't be tracked by the government for taxes."

"That's a thought," Trowa said with a tilt of his head. "But I doubt it. L4 has many resource satellites, of which Quatre's family owns the majority. Even with their wealth the Winners don't have the manpower, or really the desire, to guard each and every defunct resource satellite on an around-the-clock basis. Instead, the Winners rely on security systems installed on their decommissioned satellites, but I don't know about the security measures of other businessmen."

"How many abandoned resource satellites can there be?"

Trowa shrugged. "I'm not sure. I'd venture to guess that there are antiquated, decommissioned ones floating just beyond each colony, waiting to be demolished, refurbished or sold. The economies of each and every space colony suffered to some degree during the war and are just now beginning to recover. For the past several years colonial governments and large businesses have been wary of the UEC and have been conducting their affairs cautiously. They've held onto the old resource satellites in case there came a need to reactivate them. It was a precaution the colonies were glad they'd taken after the UEC imposed such harsh restrictions imposed on L2."

"What happened to L2 has nothing to do with the other colonies," Wufei interrupted with a scowl.

"You think not?" A reddish brown eyebrow rose questioningly. "It may be that you have been dirt side too long, Wufei."

"L2's government was considered to be nothing more than a disruptive group of unorganized thugs bent on anarchy. The sanctions were imposed by the UEC with the hope that L2's citizens would rise up in anger and overthrow the criminals who had taken over the colony and brought nothing but grief and suffering to them."

"How do we know that hasn't happened?"

Wufei turned in his seat to look at the questioning man. "Do you have knowledge of something I'm unaware of?"

Trowa shrugged. "I'm just saying that with all communication being cut off between L2 and everyone else, how do we know whether or not the former leadership of that colony hasn't been replaced? Do we really know if there is anyone still alive in there?"

"Of course we do." Wufei snorted, settling back into his seat. "Humanitarian supplies are sent on a regular basis. Surely a report would have been made if the aid workers noted a change in the population."

There was an intensity in Trowa's eyes as he replied that showed his ire, though his voice remained calm and modulated. "Do you really trust everything you're told, Wufei? Have you read any such reports, personal observations by humanitarian workers on the conditions on L2?"

After a pause, the Chinese man replied solemnly, "No, I've not seen any such report."

"Of course you haven't. Those in charge of delivering aid to L2 answer to those who put the sanctions in place. They tell you and the world what they want us to know, and nothing else."

Trowa ran a hand through his auburn hair, a sign that belied his calm voice and facial expression. "Because L2 didn't do what the UEC wanted, the United Earth and Colony politicians, acting on the behalf of "all law-abiding citizens", basically turned that colony into a prison, sentencing the guilty along with the innocent and isolating them all from everyone so that L2's citizens can't contaminate the other colonies or Earth. And by supplying enough air, water and food to sustain those people unfortunate enough to be trapped on L2, the UEC maintains control over every aspect of their lives until that colony complies with its standards of practice. Tell me, could you ever be content and thrive under such conditions, Wufei?

"You know, just as well as I do, what it was like living under the threat of the Alliance," he continued. "All colony-born do. Duo grew up in the worst conditions, with hunger, illness and crime a constant threat to his life. The Alliance's hateful actions caused him unbelievable loss and grief, turning him into an angry and vengeful teenager. He found a focus for those vindictive emotions when he was given the opportunity to pilot a gundam. He was hell bent on revenge back then, wasn't he? I'm afraid that the UEC will find that all it has accomplished with this embargo on L2, other than killing a great number of it's citizens, is that it has made many new enemies, just as determined and resilient as Duo."

Once Trowa finished speaking, Wufei spent several moments contemplating what he'd said. As a former colonist, he agreed with some of the points the other man had raised. He still carried the memory of feeling helpless, angry and frustrated when his colony lived under the constant threats of the Alliance, the safety of his people guaranteed only by their cooperation by Earth's iron-fist government. In the end, his fears for the people of his colony had proven true, though their destruction did not come by the hand of Earth's government but from the proud and stubborn people themselves, who collectively gave up their lives in order to not become a pawn in the war. Swallowing down the wave of guilt and sorrow he always felt when thinking of his former home, Wufei concentrated on remaining calm and focused on the task ahead of him. The look on Trowa's face as he talked bore witness to Wufei that he believed every word he'd said. For himself, he wasn't ready to believe the worst, that the UEC was as acting with deadly intent against L2 and its citizens. The lawlessness of that colony did not seem a viable reason for destroying all those living within its metal walls.

Trowa appeared to have finished speaking on the topic of L2 as he settled into his seat, lowered it down and closed his eyes, apparently ready to catch a little more sleep. Wufei followed his lead, leaning his seat back and hoping to get a bit more himself, sensing he was going to need it once the shuttle docked on L4. However, Trowa's accusations against the UEC kept running through his mind, and slowly, without realizing it, his steadfast belief in the system he'd fought for began to slowly erode.

TBC

Author's note: Another chapter tomorrow, to make up for the delay of this short one.


	13. Chapter 13

**Lies Between Friends and Lovers**

**Chapter 12 - Relena**

Even though more than a week had passed, Relena still wasn't comfortable sleeping in a frigidly cold room with a group of strangers. She also blamed her nights of fitful sleep on the unpleasant odor of unclean bodies, the snoring that surrounded her and the fact that she was still in shock over finding herself on L2. She greeted the day the same as she had since the first time she woke up in this room, feeling worn, hungry and haggard. Slowly sitting up, she yawned and rubbed the sleep from her tired eyes before she glanced around the dimly lit room. Rita and Gian were still sleeping, as if they hadn't a care in the world, yet both men who were her roommates were gone, having silently left their bed and the room before she'd fully awakened.

Hoping not to disturb the women, she got up as quietly as possible and left the room. The silence in other rooms indicated that no one was occupying the main room, kitchen nor the bathroom. Somewhat relieved to find herself alone, she made use the facilities, remembering not to flush the toilet, and washed herself with the most minute amount of water. Her head itched like crazy and her hair was oily, stringy and tangled. She wondered if she would be allowed to wash it anytime soon. She combed through her long hair with her fingers and decided to ask the other women for something to tie it back with once they woke up. If nothing was available, cutting it might be an option... that is if a functioning pair of scissors could be found.

Hungry but out of food and not willing to touch any of her roommates stores without permission, she pulled her tattered sweater over her shoulders and quietly left the apartment. Bypassing the defunct elevator, she made her way down the four levels of stairs to the ground floor. The lobby of the building she now resided in was empty this early in the morning, the room as shabby as ever. She ventured out of the grimy front door and onto the colony street.

Taking an early morning walk had become a part of her morning routine. It gave her some time alone and helped to calm the panic she felt after waking up each morning and realizing where she was. Stopping for several moments, she surveyed her surroundings before cautiously strolling down the streets of L2. Despite the poverty and lack of services, the lack of trash on the streets seemed odd. There was, however, a wide assortment of bed frames, old televisions and appliances thrown into the alleyways between the buildings. With all services cut off to the colony, there were no scrap-hauling freighters to carry away the metal refuse. Missing, she observed, was anything that could be burned. There was no trash, no cardboard, mattresses or clothing present in the debris piles. From the faint hint of smoke in the air, blending with the odor of unclean flesh and waste matter, she wondered if all burnable material had been used for heat.

Turning the corner at the end of the block, she passed by several other ragged people. Her nod of greeting was returned with a dispassionate stare. Everyone she'd encountered since awaking up on L2 a week ago bore the same gaunt and emaciated look she had only seen before in pictures of people who were suffering from starvation.

Her stomach rumbled loudly, reminding her that dinner the night before had been meager at best. She felt hopeful that her hunger wouldn't last very long, knowing that this was the morning she was scheduled to receive another week's supply of food from the distribution center the others had told her about. Today would be her first visit to the place. The previous week, Kirk, knowing that she hadn't slept well during that first night on the colony, had kindly picked up her allotment of food while she slept.

Her first week on L2 had been a long and tedious one. She'd always been an active person, and being forced into a state of idleness, lacking any work, visual or reading material made the minutes, hours and days drag by with unbearable slowness. Learning to eat sparingly and on a schedule had been more difficult than she could have imagined. Never before had she worried about where her food was coming from or if there was going to be enough to satisfy her hunger. Somehow knowing the limits of food she was given each week made her more aware of how insufficient it was and of the hunger pains she suffered every couple of hours.

Rubbing her arms, hoping to generate some warmth from the perpetual chill that filled the colony, she wondered if the solar panels were malfunctioning. Surely there was someone on the colony who could fix the heating system. Not for the first time she wondered how these people could live from day to day without a purpose, employment or... joy? She had not seen any evidence of happiness since being there nor had she heard the sound of laughter. There was definitely no joy in this colony, she decided with a sinking heart, only abject acceptance of their fate. It was evident that those she'd seen had given up all hope that things would get better, and that realization made her feel incredibly sad.

Spying a group of people standing in front of a building, she decided that instead of avoiding them, as she had during the past week, she would approach them, cautiously. As she moved closer the heads of those in the group turned in her direction, then turned away almost as quickly, dismissing her. Though none of them looked like a would-be hero, she had little to lose from making an appeal for help.

"Excuse me," she said, then waited until a man..., no a tough looking woman, turned and snapped back irritably, "What?"

Relena swallowed, hoping she wasn't getting herself into more trouble. After all, she didn't know who had brought her to this colony in the first place. It could have been anyone of these people staring at her. "I'm a stranger here and I need someone to help me."

From within the small group came the sound of muffled amusement. "Listen, dearie," the woman she'd addressed answered scornfully. "We're all in need of help here." More laughter ensued, but it wasn't the kind of laughter she was used to hearing. The woman leaned closer until her face was only inches from Relena's. With rancid breath and yellow, broken teeth the woman asked, "You got men troubles, girlie?" The woman's eyes raked her over, top to toes and over her used but serviceable clothing. A salacious smile spread upon her cracked lips. "I'd gladly take ya under ma wing, chickie, but my pra'tection ain't exactly free." To make her point, the woman's hand moved quickly to cup Relena's right breast.

Relena instinctively jumped back and crossed her arms protectively over her chest. Shocked by the other woman's action, it took the former queen of the world a moment to realize what exactly the woman was implicating with her statement and actions. Repulsed and with a horrified expression, Relena took another step back from the crone and glanced at the men, who seemed amused by the scene. "Please," she implored them. "I was kidnaped and brought here for reasons unknown to me. I need to contact someone, anyone off colony, to let them know where I am and that I need help."

One of the men turned fully to face her. His frown of disapproval told her what he thought of her plight. "Are ya stupid?" he snapped. "We're cut off from everyone out there, the colonies and Earth. The UEC has seen to that, all right. If someone brought ya here, they musta had a good reason." With a contemptuous scowl he added, "If you want to get off colony so bad, I know of an air lock that is pretty obligin'."

She debated for a brief moment about whether or not to tell these people exactly who she was, that she was a person of consequence. But the memory of Havoc's warning and of his opinion of her and the UEC had her deciding against that idea. The desperate people of L2 would most likely not see her as nothing more than a thorn in their sides, maybe even a part of the reason for their suffering. Anonymity, she was coming to believe, was her only ally and a means for staying out of harm.

"No need for that," a voice called out behind her and she was startled when her arm was suddenly grabbed. She relaxed and felt enormously grateful to see the familiar face of Kirk, her roommate. "Sorry to trouble you, but the little lady hasn't been well lately."

"She looks damn healthy ta me?" one of the other men in the small group commented snidely. Relena realized that she must indeed look 'damn healthy' in comparison to everyone else on L2. After all, she'd been eating three square meals a day up until her kidnaping.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Kirk tap his head, indicating her illness was of a different sort. A look of suspicion and understanding dawned on the faces of the people she'd approached. "I'll just take her back to our flat," Kirk said, backing away.

"Ya best keep her inside until she's better or Kattia will eat her for breakfast," one of the men laughed and the others joined in. Moving cautiously away, Relena thought that there was laughter on L2 after all, just not the kind she was used to.

"That was foolish," Kirk said as he continued to lead her back in the direction she'd come. "What are ya doing out so early?"

"Couldn't sleep any longer," she replied. "I also thought it might be good to take a look around."

Kirk gave her a look of disapproval that showed her he knew exactly what she'd been doing. Though they hadn't talked much during the week, she wondered just how much the other man knew about her. "Do you know who I am, Kirk?"

"No. I only know yur someone who doesn't belong here and that we're supposed to see that yu're not hurt."

"Who do you take your orders from?" She'd been hoping to learn the identity of the person or group who had abducted her.

"Orders?" Kirk's laughter was tinged with bitterness. "The guardian who carried ya to the flat requested this of us. There's no orders on L2, not 'til the UEC takes over whatever is left of this place when this fuckin' blockade is over."

"Is there really no news from outside L2? No way to communicate with anyone?" she asked.

"Nothin' but word of mouth spreads the news here, and that ain't always reliable."

They walked a few more steps before Kirk added, "And if ya'd take a bit of advice from me, keep whatever yur name is and the reason yu're here to yurself. Nobody here really cares who or what ya are, only that yu're taking away a portion of food that would normally be divvied out to the rest of us."

She hadn't thought about it in that respect. Of course her presence on L2 meant that the rations sent by the UEC government would have to stretch to feed one more person. She would have to remember that and be grateful for whatever she was given. Turning to her companion she asked, "So what are you going to do today? I have to admit that the lack of something to do is nerve wracking."

Kirk glanced down at her, and with the briefest of smiles he answered. "You're lucky. Today we go to the food distribution area and get our allotment." Then looking off into the distance he sighed as he continued. "Then we begin ta count the hours from one meal to the next, calculatin' how much ta eat in order to survive and make it last until the next time we can go back and get some more."

They walked the rest of the way to the apartment in silence, and Relena wondered, and not for the first or the last time, why she'd been brought to this godforsaken colony. Was it out of spite, for a ransom, to teach her something or make a point? Because so much effort had gone into taking her from earth and bringing her there, she had a feeling her stay on L2 wound not be for a short duration and that she would not be seeing her home nor the comforts she'd always enjoyed anytime soon.

TBC


	14. Chapter 14

**Lies - Between Friends and Lovers  
Part 13**

It was taking forever for the shuttle to dock, Wufei thought impatiently. His impatience was due, no doubt, to the urgency he felt in getting to the resource satellite as quickly as possible. With few leads pertaining to the identity of the marauders or their location, it was imperative he follow up immediately on any information that came his way.

Standing next to his seat while waiting for the group in front of him to unload their carry-on luggage from the storage bins above, he turned to his quiet companion. "Heero and I discussed the possibility of Howard being involved with the marauders."

"Duo's Howard?" Trowa questioned with a frown.

Wufei knew he was stepping into a touchy area. Anything that involved Duo Maxwell was of concern to his two very protective friends. Quatre and Trowa had displayed the great lengths they would go to in order to see their friend was sheltered, protected and cared for. That fact was evident by how swiftly they'd swept Duo away after his and Heero's fight five years ago and helping him in the healing process, including the best counseling and doctors for the many surgeries he'd undergone after Heero obliterated his face. Duo had suffered a multiple fractured nose, a cracked cheek bone, busted lips and jaw dislocation. The hearing in his right ear and the vision in his right eye had also been affected by the severe beating. He'd garnered this information about his former comrade from emails Quatre had sent and by covertly checking up on Duo after he'd begun having his surgeries on L4. Duo's occupation as a wildly popular model was also due to the influence of his two close friends. After the braided man had healed from his reconstruction surgeries, Duo was given the means to make a living, a very lucrative one from what he'd seen, allowing him to leave behind the struggle and fighting that had been a part of his life from his earliest memories. That Duo was happy with such a frivolous job and lavish lifestyle surprised him, though he kept such thoughts to himself. After all, who was he to judge another man after the things he'd done in the past? Duo deserved happiness more than anyone he could think of.

Continuing with the subject at hand, Wufei explained the reason for his inquiry about Howard. "The marauders are obviously using some type of cloaking device. Howard was the engineer, if not the designer, of Deathscythe. To overlook his potential involvement would be foolish on our part."

"What would be his motivation?" Trowa asked. "Howard has a legitimate job as a Sweeper and, from what Duo has told me, enough money to fill that huge barge he floats around the earth's oceans."

Wufei shrugged. "Maybe the man pirates for the thrill of it, for the challenge of getting away with something illegal."

Trowa looked at him skeptically. "You really think that of Howard? After all he did to help us during the war?"

"No," Wufei confessed. "But neither his accomplishments, occupation or money were of consideration when he involved himself in Operation Meteor. We really have no choice but to look at him as a possible suspect until we have evidence to prove otherwise."

When at last the he and Trowa disembarked the shuttle, they were greeted by two uniformed Preventer officers. "Agent Chang." One of the men stepped forward. The pale faced, red-headed man was at least six feet tall, with wide shoulders that narrowed to a trim waist. He wore a serious expression and exuded an air of professionalism. "I'm Agent Donnihan. I spoke with you while in transit?"

"Good to meet you," Wufei said, extending his right hand to shake hand's with the other agent. He then introduced Trowa as his partner on the case then asked, "Are we ready to leave?"

"There's been yet another attack by the marauders," the redhead stated, his manner rushed and excited. "A freighter carrying food and essential supplies was overtaken several hours out from L1."

Wufei turned his gaze to Trowa. "Looks like our visit to the resource satellites will have to wait."

Trowa nodded. "Let me make a fast call to Quatre to tell him I won't be home today." He lagged behind the group as they walked through the terminal in order to have a bit of privacy as he made his call.

Through Agent Donnihan, Wufei requested the local Preventers inquire about the resource satellite's owner and for them to set up a surveillance droid to monitor it for any movement until he could return to search it himself.

Using the prepared Preventer shuttle, the two former gundam pilots along with Donnihan and his partner, Agent Shoemaker, arrived at the shuttle dock on L1 eight hours after their departure from L4. They met with the crew of the freighter Hammerhead on their ship and immediately commenced their questioning and recording their statements. Three and a half hours later the four Preventers regrouped in the crew compartment on their own shuttle.

"It doesn't make sense," Agent Shoemaker remarked, scratching his ear while leaning back into his chair. The colony born man was short in stature with well-developed neck and arm muscles, and a broad chest, signs that the man took his physical fitness seriously. His brown hair was styled in a short crew cut. His facial features were ordinary, as were his brown eyes. But it was his dark and heavy eyebrows that lent the man a rather comedic aspect to his otherwise somber face. "The crew on the cloaked ship boards space freighters armed and masked. They take only those goods that are ordinary everyday stuff, which they pay fair market prices for. Why don't they just buy them like everyone else does?"

"That's the question that needs answering in order for us to find the marauders," Trowa answered while taking apart his handgun in preparation for giving it a thorough cleaning.

"There must be some reason they avoid making such a large purchase openly," Wufei surmised while typing up his report. "Tax evasion, affecting the market on surplus goods, causing panic with the colony freighters or perhaps causing a disturbance in trading circles with a purpose we've yet to determine."

"They've been doing this for two years, right?" Donnihan asked.

"Yes," Wufei answered without looking away from his computer screen.

"So where has all this stolen freight gone to? There should be a warehouse overflowing with the goods they've taken."

"Unless they've been sold on the sly, or on the black market."

"It doesn't make sense," Shoemaker said again, shaking his head.

Wufei leaned back in his chair, a frown on his face. "No, it doesn't. It makes more sense to assume that the food is being forcibly taken and purchased by someone in need who is otherwise unable to obtain and distribute or resell the goods."

"Who?" Shoemaker and Donnihan asked simultaneously.

"L2."

"So someone or some group on L2 is sneaking out of that colony and raiding freighter ships?" Trowa asked, a hint of disbelief in his voice.

"Who else needs everyday goods more than a colony burdened with the restrictions of an embargo, forbidding any freighters from delivering to its docks?"

Trowa sat forward and looked at his friend. "L2 is a run down, poorer than poor tin can floating in space. With a government corrupt enough to cause the UEC to place an embargo on it, I can only imagine that no one there has more than a couple of credits to rub together. Even if they pooled all of the colony's credits together, there's no way they could afford to build or purchase a ship with stealth capabilities."

Wufei nodded. "All the more reason to find Howard and question him about his activities and possibly about any crew members who worked with him before the wars on the cloaking device they developed for Deathscythe."

"Duo mentioned several months ago that Howard was still with the Sweepers. They were making runs to Mars and gathering up the remainder of space debris from the wars."

"Then he shouldn't be too hard to track down."

Donnihan cleared his throat. "So what now?"

Wufei sighed. "We go back to L4, analyze the statements to see if there is any new information that we might have missed and try again to track down Howard." With a look of irritation on his face he asked Trowa, "By the way, what the hell is Howard's last name?"

The other man gave him a crooked grin. "I'm sworn to secrecy," he answered.

"And if I order you to give me his name?"

"Then I will, under protest."

"Considered it ordered."

Trowa chuckled. "Duo let it slip one night, after a night of heavy drinking, that Howards full name is..." he leaned forward and whispered into his friend's ear the information.

A matching smile grew on Wufei's normally sober face. "No wonder we were never told his full name," he chuckled.

"What is it?" Shoemaker asked, his eyes lit with curiosity.

"I think it would be best to keep that information to myself for a little while," Wufei replied. "Donnihan?"

"Yes?" the redhead answered.

"Think you can pilot this ship back to L4?"

"I'm on it." The agent immediately stood and strode towards the cockpit.

"What would you like me to do?" Shoemaker asked, eager to please.

"I'm hungry. How about you, Agent Barton?"

"Starved."

"I'll see what we've got." The short and stocky man jumped up and rushed to open the stash of food to see what he could make for the other two men who were, unbeknownst to him, having a hard time containing their amused grins.

Heero

Two days following Wufei and Trowa's departure, Heero still had very little to go on in regards to Relena's disappearance. Reports of sightings or possible leads, prompted by her brother's reward offer, had all been discounted. Calls on the hotline now came trickling in and most were obviously poor attempts to gain the offered reward. "Where the hell did you go?" Heero muttered as he looked down at the picture they'd sent to the press of Relena to keep her image sharp in the public's mind.

He recalled a day, not too long ago, that the two of them had spent at the beach. Relena had just wanted some time away to relax and she'd coaxed him into taking her to the local beach. Dressed in off-white capris and a pale blue summer blouse that covered her swimsuit, she wore her hair back in a braid and kept her head covered by a wide-brimmed straw hat. Overall, she presented the appearance of a tourist. Keeping a low profile, Heero knew he probably looked like her boyfriend, dressed down in swim trunks and a tank top instead of the suit-and-tie apparel he usually donned as her bodyguard, which was probably why no one bothered her that day. For several hours they'd enjoyed the water and lounged on their beach towels, talked of everyday things, excluding work, and let the ocean breeze cool their skin, flushed from the warm sun. It had been a good day, a good memory.

He turned away from the picture, his frustration growing. There was no way in hell Relena would just up and walk away without telling someone, deliberately worrying her family and friends. But if she had been kidnaped, why hadn't the kidnapper made any demands for her release? The lack of evidence and demands for ransom, or even a call from the girl herself just didn't add up to her being kidnaped.

His cell phone chimed. Pulling it out of his jacket pocket he answered with a gruff hello.

"Any news?" It was Relena's brother. Again.

"No. None at all."

"Dammit." Milliardo paused for several moments. Then with a frustrated sigh he asked, "So where do we go from here?"

And in an instant, Heero knew the answer. "I'm leaving you and Noin to stay on top of this and investigate any new leads. Contact me if anything promising comes in and I'll return."

"Where the hell are you going?" Milliardo was understandably angry.

"To space. I've got another case I'm working on with Wufei."

"I understood that Relena's case was the top priority." "It was as long as there were leads to follow. Without a ransom demand or even a call regarding her fate, the case has ground to a halt. I'm needed elsewhere, but that doesn't mean I'm giving up. You have my contact number, call me if anything new develops."

"You can't do this Yuy."

"Yes, I can."

There was a long pause before Milliardo spoke again. When he did, his voice had changed from indignant anger to a tone of pleading. "Please, Heero, stay earth side just a few more days. I know something will happen soon, it has to. Perhaps her kidnappers are just waiting until the furor dies down. I'm begging you, don't go. Not yet."

Heero closed his eyes and with his free hand he pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to ease the growing ache that was coming on from lack of food and sleep. "Alright. I'll put off returning to space a couple more days," he said, capitulating to the other man's plea. Milliardo Peacecraft never begged for anything, and for him to do so with his former enemy meant that he was feeling desperate.

Wufei and the space marauders would have to wait a few more days.

"Thank you." There was the sound of relief in the other man's voice.

The call ended moments later and Heero looked down at the stack of files, notes on the case, all leading nowhere. Resigned, he sat back down at his desk and opened the top folder, intending to look for any clue to Relena's disappearance, or hint of who might have abducted her that he might have missed. He blinked with surprise, finding amongst the files a gossip magazine with Duo's image plastered on the cover. Damn but the man was good looking. Those blue-violet eyes seemed to be looking straight at him, and his playful smile hinted that he was barely holding back some mischievous thought. Duo's pose was relaxed even though he was wearing a dark blue designer suit. The jacket was carelessly slung over his shoulder, his sapphire blue tie was pulled loose and the top buttons of his white dress shirt were open. With one hand tucked into his pant pocket, a rakish grin and long braid of hair resting against his chest, Duo Maxwell was sex appeal personified, and Heero felt his body begin to stir at the image of the man he'd lost in a fit of anger.

Pushing past his regrets, he quickly leafed through the magazine until he came to a small article and large spread of photos of his former lover. He devoured every word written about Duo in a brief interview with the most sought-after bachelor on Earth and possibly the colonies. Without thinking, his fingertips gently touched a close-up photo of Duo's face and another wave of regret for what he'd lost washed over him. After all this time it seemed that the former Deathscythe pilot still owned a piece of his heart. Time and circumstances hadn't altered what he'd felt for Duo, nor did the pain of guilt and regret over what he'd done to him. Duo said he'd forgiven him, even suggested that they might be friends again, but he wondered if he'd ever forgive himself.

Glancing at his laptop, he wondered if he dared email the popular man. Duo had moved on with his life, had made a success of himself, even though it was in a completely different line of work than Heero had ever imagined him in. The long-haired man appeared as happy as he claimed he was. Would he be messing that up if he insinuated himself back into Duo's life? It was something to seriously consider before he took any action.

An idea came to him and he hit a key on his computer to bring it out of sleep mode. He typed Duo Maxwell into the search engine and he wasn't surprised to find a multitude of pages listing sites where his former lover was featured. He started with the first site and spent the rest of the afternoon viewing the photographic and written articles detailing Duo's life over the past couple of years.

By the time he finished and sat back in his chair, rubbing his tired eyes, it was dark outside. The paparazzi and gossip columns had more or less detailed Duo's life from the time he debuted as a model for Quatre's sister, only lightly touching on the fact that he had been a former gundam pilot. If nothing else was made clear after all his reading, it was that Duo had dramatically changed from the boy who had a cause worth dying for to a man who seemed to have nothing more important to do than pose for photographers, attend lavish parties and, once in a while, cause a scandal. What had caused the pilot of the gundam called Deathscythe, who named himself Shinigami in battle, to do a complete turnabout? It was a puzzle Heero took home with him that night and kept him awake for many hours as he tried to figure out the enigma that was Duo Maxwell.

TBC

Author's notes: Thanks to those few loyal readers for reviewing. It's nice to know someone is enjoying this story. I know it's a bit different from my usual story telling, but I wanted to try something different, a bit more indepth than the fluff/sap/angst stories I usually post. Thanks again. Dyna


	15. Chapter 15

**Lies - Between Friends and Lovers  
Chapter 14**

"The stars turned out in droves this weekend for the premiere of the much anticipated movie, Summer's End, and Entertainment This Week was there to capture all the excitement." The perky, long-haired blonde woman on the television delivered that bit of celebrity news with a grin that threatened to split her face in half. "The bittersweet romance between star-crossed lovers, played by Shelly Cheval and Dirk Bennett, has been praised by the critics as this year's most romantic movie. Interest in the film has also been spurred by the sudden announcement earlier this week about the break up between Shelly and her boyfriend of two years, actor Sean McNab. Rumors have been circulating that super model Duo Maxwell might have had something to do with the breakup. Those rumors were spurred, no doubt, by sightings of Miss Cheval exiting the popular model's apartment building early one morning early last week. However, their separate arrival at the movie's premiere, with actress Alana Stevens being escorted by the handsome model and former gundam pilot has everyone wondering whether or not the rumors of their involvement are true."

While the entertainment commentator continued, Heero watched with a deep frown on his face as a replay of the event, held several nights before in New York City, showed a white limousine pulling up to the curbside and a myriad of flashes began as the chauffeur opened the back door. Duo stepped out, wearing a black suit over a white shirt, a red tie and blue tinted glasses. He waved to the crowd then quickly turned, his long braid swinging around his body as he bent his head and extended his hand to the person in the car. A tall and slender, pale skinned and stunning redheaded woman, dressed in a fairly modest yet slinky evening gown of shining silver, exited the car. With a dazzling grin to the crowd, the actress slipped her hand under Duo's arm and the two pressed forward. Duo kept his head down, speaking to his date as the young actress continued to smile and wave at the crowd as they passed by the cheering crowd and loud, demanding reporters. Despite not being able to get a good look at Duo's face, Heero thought the two people on the television screen looked perfect together, and once more the feeling of having let something very important slip by washed over him.

Maybe he should have called Duo after returning from New York.

Leaning back against his sofa, he closed his eyes, hoping to clear all thoughts of such regrets. Instead of re-centering himself, images of his former lover flashed through his mind. Duo was probably going to be forever etched in his memory wearing that same silky brown robe and boxer-style shorts he'd worn when they'd come face to face in New York after a five year estrangement. In his mind's eye, his former lover's long hair was loose and tumbling over both shoulders and past his slender waist. The vision he conjured up of Duo's trim and hairless chest peeking out of the robe made him want to reach out and stroke the tantalizing skin. His thoughts then turned to Duo's long and lean legs, bringing back memories of those limbs wrapped tightly around him, urging him on as they copulated in dorm rooms, janitor closets, safe houses and in their cabin on Peacemillion. And in his mind he erased the frown and look of disapproval that had been fixed on the model's handsome face during their interview in New York, replacing them with an expression of awe and adoration that the teenage pilot of Deathscythe always wore after their lovemaking. He'd give anything to see that look on Duo's face again.

With a long, frustrated sigh he slipped out of the daydream and was left with a strong yearning for all that he'd lost. Even though Duo had indicated he had forgiven him, Heero doubted the other man would ever let him back into his life, especially as his lover.

The ringing of his phone derailed his thoughts about Duo and he had only a moment to curse himself for indulging in idle daydreaming and wasting time when he had two cases to solve. He moved swiftly from the sofa to his phone, sitting on the table near the front door. He checked the caller ID, then quickly pressed the talk button and put the phone to his ear. "What is it Chang?"

"There's been another attack by the marauders on a freighter going to L1 this time."

"When?"

"About ten hours ago. Trowa and I took a Preventer shuttle from L4 to catch up with the ship and its crew. I'm almost finished with my report, including their statements, and will transmit that data to you shortly."

"That makes three boardings in less than four days. It seems they've upped the frequency of the attacks. Anything new with this latest one?"

"Nothing. It's the same M.O. as the others. The raiders were masked, wore black and carried stun guns. No one was hurt as they took the cargo which, once again, they paid for." There was a long pause before Wufei continued. "Narrowing down the reasons for why the obviously well-funded operation pays for the food and clothing they steal from freighters destined for colonies, there's only one viable conclusion: it has to do with L2's embargo."

Heero replied, "It makes sense, but who is behind it?"

"Someone with a great deal of money and connections. I think the lead we need to follow is the stealth technology that the ship obviously has possession of. The cloaking device is effective in surprising the freighters before they have the chance to run."

"And you believe Howard is in on this?"

Another pause. Both men were well aware and uncomfortable with what it might mean if Howard was involved and who else the finger of blame might turn to. "It only makes sense that it's him or a member of the crew that worked on Deathscythe."

"Duo's not involved."

"How do you know?"

"I just saw him on T.V., caught on camera at the premiere of a new movie in New York on Friday. He was with a different actress from the one at his apartment the day we interviewed him."

"That's good." There was a tone of relief in Wufei's voice. "I can't help but think of him any time L2 comes into a conversation. I'm surprised he didn't say anything about the embargo when we spoke with him."

"He's obviously changed."

"But that much?" Wufei sounded skeptical. "Duo certainly doesn't owe that colony any allegiance, but his life is inextricably linked to L2, if only in the past. I wouldn't blame him if he turned his back forever on the rotting piece of space junk, but he knows what it's like to live there. He had enough compassion for those living there to offer his life up to Operation Meteor in order to win them their freedom from the Alliance. I can't believe those feelings of empathy have disappeared completely under the flashing of cameras and a large bank account."

"Money and fame can change a man," Heero commented, not wanting to believe it was true in Duo's case, but the way his former lover lived in comparison to his past lent some truth to that statement.

"Material things never seemed important to Maxwell."

"That's because he never had anything. I think his apartment and current lifestyle speaks loudly of his change in attitude."

After a thoughtful pause, Wufei said, "If a change in his core beliefs means that he's not involved in this, then I'm glad. I would hate having to arrest a friend and send him to prison."

Heero couldn't think of anything more distressing than sending one of his fellow comrades to prison. If suspicions turned to hard facts, proving Howard or, even more unlikely, Duo was involved with the marauders, he would be duty bound to make an arrest, regardless of how much he wouldn't want to.

"So where are you now?" he asked, getting back to the reason for the call.

"On our way back to L4. I'll be accompanying Trowa to his and Quatre's residence for something to eat and, hopefully, a good night's sleep. While I'm there I'll check around to see if I can locate Howard. Trowa is going to follow up on the discovery of several crates that have been stashed on two different resource satellites. Initial reports state that they look suspiciously like they might belong to the marauders."

"Anything new about Relena?"

"No. We're pretty much at a dead end until we get some word from the kidnapers."

"So do you now believe that's what happened to her? That she was kidnaped?"

"I can't believe she'd hurt her family by not telling them that she was safe."

"No. She seemed like a responsible and caring person."

"She possesses both of those attributes," Heero said with a frown, not caring for the past tense Wufei used in referring to Relena.

After a pause, Wufei changed the subject. "I think an official visit to L2 might be in order."

"No one is allowed clearance to pass the blockade and enter the colony."

"I'll go through Une. If the marauders are hijacking freighters and L2 is where they drop off the stolen goods, then there's bound to be some evidence. Someone there would know who is behind it."

"If indeed that's the case, do you really think you'll find anyone willing to cooperate, knowing that if you make an arrest their supplemental source of food would be cut off?"

"I'll find an incentive for their cooperation, perhaps a lift off the colony."

"If you succeed in getting Une's permission, I'd think twice about showing up on L2 in uniform."

Wufei's grin could be heard in his voice as he replied, "I'll think about it."

There had been some joking within the ranks of the Preventers who knew both Heero and Wufei as two of the first inductees into that organization. Because of their long hours and dedication to their jobs, they were rarely seen out of uniform. One comment that Heero had overheard was that he and Wufei wore their uniforms to the cleaners and had them clean and press their pants, shirts and ties without removing them. The jokes were harmless, and neither he nor Wufei took offense. Still, Heero could hardly recall seeing his sometime partner out of uniform.

"What are your plans for the foreseeable future?" Wufei asked.

"I'm not certain. I had planned on joining you in space but I'm not sure Une or Milliardo will actually allow me to leave the planet as long as Relena is missing."

"I'll keep in touch then and let you know where I am in case you get the release."

"All right."

"I'll check back with you in a day or two."

After a pause, Heero added, "Give my regards to Quatre and Trowa."

"I will." The phone went dead and Heero slowly placed the receiver back in its place, then sat back and spent several more moments contemplating all that had been said.

TBC


	16. Chapter 16

Lies - Between Friends and Lovers  
CHAPTER 15

"Hey, watch it!" shouted the man dressed completely in black and wearing a mask that covered the lower half of his face as well as a hat that hid his rather prominent forehead. His admonition was aimed at the ragged group of men opening the crates his own crew had deposited moments ago. He really couldn't blame the men for being anxious, but still, the cargo was valuable enough to warrant careful handling. There was not one container of water or food in those crates that was not needed.

Unconsciously pulling the brim of his cap down even further over his forehead, until it rested on his dark glasses, he walked closer to the group of the familiar, ragged looking men. They turned their heads to look at him with expressions that ranged from wariness to awe. "Who's in charge here?" he asked, not seeing his usual contact, a man he only knew as Hal. It was his habit to keep as much distance as possible from the men who accepted the shipments they brought. The more familiar he and his crew became with them the more likely one of them would recall something about that might be identifiable.

One of the bearded men stepped forward. At first glance he looked to be in his late forties or early fifties, and as skinny as a rail with unkempt, graying brown hair and beard. "I am. Name's Cinabar. I'm a Guardian."

"Good. Then I'm entrusting you to equally divide this shipment to the distribution centers."

"You can trust me ta do m'job," the man answered with his chest puffed out with importance and a slow, repetitive nod of his head.

"Along with the usual supply of food, there's baby formula, some diapers and quite a few extra cans of fruit. See to it that pregnant women and children get priority on the fruit."

"Yep, that's the way we do it," the man agreed, his head still bobbing up and down. If the circumstances weren't so dire, the man in black would have found the repetitive head movement amusing. However, there was very little to be amused about on L2. His frequent visits here left him feeling both despondent at the colony's dire straits and a deep yearning to extend himself even more in an effort to help them.

Cinabar began to speak again, drawing his attention once more. "Guess it's a mixed blessin' there's so few women in a family way. I heard it said that starvin' makes most women's monthly stop, keepin' them from gettin' pregnant, even if they wanted to. Less mouths to feed, that's for sure." Then a look of sadness crossed the man's face as he added, "But with no children there's no future."

Of course the Guardian was right, the man in black thought. If he had his way, not one more person, especially a newborn babe, would experience firsthand the hardships the people of L2 endured each and every day. The government sanctioned blockade was cruel, unnecessary and criminal. Hopefully the people of Earth and the colonies would eventually learn the truth behind the reasons for the severe sanctions imposed on L2, and that the action taken by the UEC had been nothing more than a slow and painful extermination order for the people who had the misfortune to live there.

"I know I'm not 'sposed to ask yur name, but I'd like to thank ya and whoever else is responsible for bringin' us food and water. There's no way could we survive on the pathetic amount we get from the charity shipment once a month."

The man in black nodded. "Those who sponsor my ship and crew are good, colony-born men of conscience. They understand your plight and are doing what they can to help. We must all remain nameless in order to protect ourselves. If our identities were found out, we would go to prison and then the goods we bring to you would no longer be provided."

"I understand," Guardian Cinabar said, his head bobbing once again. "But give 'um our thanks anyway, won't ya?"

The man in black smiled, then fiddled with the dark glasses that hid the shape and color of his eyes. "I will," he replied with a small smile. "I've got to get back to the ship and see that all the goods have been unloaded. With any luck this will be over soon."

"From yur lips to God's ear," the man muttered. With a wave of farewell he returned to his ragged comrades and joined them as they continued to go through the packing crates.

The man in black turned and headed for the metal plank, leading to the cargo hold. With a hand moving up to his hat, he pulled down a thin wire that settled in front of his mouth, tapped a button in an earpiece secured in his ear and asked, "How are we doing time wise? Has all the cargo been completely unloaded?"

He was answered by the ship's pilot, his voice a strong whisper in his ear. "Buck tells me there's only one large crate left to unload, then we can cut out of here before the patrol ship comes by again."

"So how many does this make?"

"Runs? I don't know, old man. For me, I'd say at least fifty, maybe sixty tops in the last two years. So you can probably double that for how many deliveries you've made." There was a pause and then a weary sigh. "How much longer, H? I have an idea my luck's about to run out and I'm gonna be found out. I don't mind so much for myself, but I don't like putting anyone else at risk. Others have stepped out on a limb for this, and the last thing I want to happen is for them to go to prison for helping."

"They, just like the rest of us, know the consequences if we get caught. We do this for a greater good, so don't start giving up on us now, kid. These people desperately need our help. If you could see their faces, the desperation and gratitude in their eyes each time we make a delivery, you'd know we're doing the right thing, even though we're breaking a couple of laws."

"I know it's the right thing," came the soft reply. "Guess I'm just on edge right now."

Two burly crewmen, also dressed completely in black from head to toe, removed from the hold the last large 8' x 8' plastic crate on the anti-grav dolly. They guided the large container down the ramp and approximately thirty feet from the ship and the track of the giant containment doors surrounding it. They eased the crate down next to the men still rummaging through the other boxes and sorting the goods into several piles.

"We've got two minutes to get out of here," the pilot reported through the com-link, as the familiar deep humming sound filled the hanger, signaling the start of the ship's engines.

"Two minutes," the man standing on the ramp shouted to the two crew members who were extracting the expensive carrying unit.

"Got it, boss man," one of the men called back. Thirty seconds later both men were running up the gangway. Tapping his headset again, the man in black gave his report to the pilot. "Shutting the hatch. Radio the control room that we need the containment door shut, sealed and the lock engaged."

"I'm on it," the pilot replied.

Hitting the flashing red button above the hatch, the ship's loading ramp slid quickly and with ease into its compartment located beneath the hatch. Once it clanged into place the ship's heavy metal door smoothly slid down and shut. With a loud click of the lock, the green light above the door indicated the door was both locked and sealed. Checking to make sure it was truly secure, the man turned to make his way up to the cockpit to take his place as co-pilot.

The two crew members in the back had taken their seats and were buckling in, knowing from long practice that once they deposited their pilfered load, they got away from L2 as quickly as possible. It was sometimes a rough and exhilarating ride.

The man in black opened the door to the cockpit, made his way to the vacant seat without disturbing the young man flipping switches and checking gages to ensure they were ready to be released into space.

Turning his head, the older man watched as the massive gray, air-sealing door slid across on the rusty track, making loud screeching noises that made the hair stand up on his neck. He would never get used to that sound. Once the containment doors were closed, a loud metal thud sounded, followed by the sound of metal dropping into place as the seal was made secure. The ship was now cut off from the eyes of anyone outside of the sleek, black ship.

Removing his glasses and hat, revealing faded green eyes set in a weathered yet pale face that was framed by shoulder length, graying brown hair, the man turned to the pilot. "Alright Hotshot, get us the hell out of here."

The pilot chuckled even though he remained fixed on his task. "Don't I always?" he teased. "I'm the best damn pilot in all the colonies."

"Tell that to those anxious Preventers trying like hell to nail our asses."

"They won't even get close enough to kiss my exhaust much less my ass."

"Even one particular Preventer?"

That earned the older man a warning glare. "Howard," the pilot growled.

Chuckling, the older man heeded the warning. "All right, no more teasing."

"Thank you," the pilot said. Then after a brief moment he added, "So where do you want me to drop you off?"

"First star on the right and straight on 'til morning," Howard chuckled.

The pilot rolled his eyes. "Back to the resource satellite it is."

The shuttle bay door opened, revealing a partial view of Earth and the darkness of space surrounding everything else. The pilot gave the older man a saucy grin of delight. "I never get tired of looking at that. Do you?"

"No, and I've been in space for the greater part of my life."

The two sat in companionable silence as the shuttle the shuttle's pilot gave the boosters a slight nudge, just enough to get them out into the airless space. After several moments of floating, the engines were engaged, the stealth system was activated and the marauder ship once again left its precious cargo on the not quite forsaken colony.

TBC


	17. Chapter 17

Lies - Between Friends and Lovers  
CHAPTER 16

Pushing back from his laptop, Wufei, dressed only in his underwear and a robe lent to him by Quatre, pinched the bridge of his nose. Having eaten a late dinner and slept a full night, he'd begun his search for Duo's friend, Howard, moments after waking. He'd known that the Sweepers were a tightknit group, but he hadn't realized how difficult they were going to be when trying to get an ounce of information from them. Howard, well known amongst the Sweepers as well as many colonists, seemed to have disappeared without a trace. It struck him as odd that no one seemed to be alarmed by his absence. Howard, an engineering genius who wore brightly colored shirts, was a unique, well-known and outspoken character. He would be hard to miss any where in space, and his absence would certainly be noted by many. Howard had to be out there somewhere, and Wufei was not about to give up until he found him. With a heavy sigh he resigned himself to the last option on his list for trying to locate the man.

Rising to his feet, he went to his one piece of luggage, a black duffle bag, and retrieved his pocket PC. He located the phone number he needed and took the device back to the desk. Picking up the phone, he punched in the number that would charge Preventers for the cost of the pricey call from L4 to Earth.

He sat down in the chair again and, while waiting for the call to be connected, let his eyes wander around the room. It was a pleasant living space that appeared of have all the amenities that a guest of the house could ever want, including a small refrigerator filled with juice and snacks. He'd enjoyed the queen sized bed with the white, thick down comforter and luxurious sheets and pillowcase. The pictures on the walls were large and depicted beautiful landscapes of Earth including mountains, meadow covered with flowers as well as a painting of a sunrise over a desert oasis. The scenes evoked a deep longing within him for a true vacation with time to explore the beauty offered by the planet beneath the space colonies. Someday soon, he promised himself.

His thoughts returned to his call after registerong the sound of ringing in his ear. "Hello?" A raspy, sleepy sounding voice answered.

"Duo?"

"Yeah, who's this?"

"Wufei."

"Wufei?"

The Preventer chuckled. "Are you awake?"

"Sort of."

"I hear you've been burning the candle at both ends?"

"Huh?"

Wufei realized that Duo was barely awake, as evidenced by his inability to keep track of the conversation. "Working all day and attending movie premieres with beautiful actresses at night, like the one you attended a couple of days ago."

"Oh... yeah, that was a pretty good night." Duo chuckled, sounding as if he was about to fall back to sleep. He surprised Wufei by continuing. "The movie was all right, if you dig a chick flick, but the party after it was wild."

"I can't imagine."

Duo chuckled. "No, I don't imagine you can. You need to get out more, Wu. Life's too short, ya know. Ya gotta live every moment to its fullest before the Grim Reaper catches up with you."

"I rather think that's what I'm doing, living my life to the fullest." Wufei couldn't help but grin with amusement. Duo's philosophy, especially when he was tired or drunk, was more amusing than worth remembering.

"Nah, you work all the time, that's not living."

"I beg to differ."

"So did you wake me up just to chit chat, Wu? Not that I mind, much." And then Duo explained, "It's just that I have a photo shoot in the afternoon and I need a bit more beauty sleep in order to avoid having circles under my eyes."

"Shouldn't makeup take care of that?"

"Oh, it does, but I'm not my sparkling self on film if I'm not rested, or so I've been told."

Wufei couldn't agree more. His memories of Duo during the war recalled those times when the Deathscythe pilot was sleep deprived. Oh, he could wake up and react just like the rest of them, but only in an emergency. One thing he clearly recalled was that Duo needed his sleep, and a lot of it. If he didn't get a required nine hours, he became cranky, humorless and uncomfortable to be around. They all learned quickly that whenever possible, it was a wise decision to let the boy sleep undisturbed.

"I was wondering if you know where Howard is?"

"Howard? My Howard?"

"Yes, your Howard," Wufei answered patiently. "I've been trying to find him but haven't been successful. The Sweepers are a tight-lipped group when they want to be."

"Why do you want to talk to him?"

"Preventer business."

"Is he in trouble?" Duo sounded a bit more awake now and concern laced his still groggy voice.

"No. I'd just like to question him."

"About what?"

"I'm not at liberty to say."

There was a long pause before Duo said in a softer voice. "You know I'm a Sweeper too, don't ya, Wufei?"

"Yes, that's why I called you. I thought if anyone knew where Howard was, you would, but I did try to locate him before I contacted you."

"I don't know whether I should feel grateful or insulted that you called on business when we haven't really spoken to each other in ages."

Wufei frowned. "Do you have his number?"

"I have an email address, but I haven't heard from him in quite some time. Last thing I heard he was headed to Mars. That takes quite a while, you know."

"Yes, I know."

"Can_ I_ help you with something?"

For just a moment, Wufei debated whether or not he should drag his now carefree friend into the puzzling case he was investigating. Without the ability to contact Howard, he really had little choice. Duo had spent time with the Sweepers before Operation Meteor. Surely he would know, or at least he'd have heard any rumors if the stealth system had being reproduced. "Maybe you can," he answered. "Do you remember the crew that worked with Howard on the stealth system he developed for your gundam?"

"Ah... yeah, I think so, but after all this time their names are kind of mixed up with my memory with their faces. Why?"

"Have you been keeping up on colony news regarding the marauders who have been hijacking freighter shuttles and stealing their goods?"

"Yeah. I've also read that they pay for what they take. That's odd, don't you think?"

"Very. The ship they use appears to have the ability to cloak itself. Reports from the accosted freighters' crews are that the ship appears out of nowhere. I'd like to speak to Howard to see if he knows anything about a stealth system being reproduced, and if he does, who might be behind it."

"Do you suspect him?"

"Not any more than I would one of his previous crew who helped work on the original stealth project for your gundam. His absence, as well as the Sweepers' un-cooperating attitude in helping me find him, does lay more suspicion on his doorstep."

"Howie's a good man," Duo stated firmly, a hint of anger in his voice, which was no longer groggy.

"I'm not saying he isn't. But if he's developed a system and sold it to a second party, he'll know who these marauders are."

"Listen, Wu, you're my friend, but we owe Howard. If you're after him as a Preventer, with the intent to charge him with a crime, then I'm sorry, I can't help you."

"Duo, please. I'm not after Howard so much as I'm trying to find those who are breaking the law."

"Are these marauders, as you call them, really breaking the law if they pay for what they take?"

"They board an unwilling ship and take what they want. It doesn't matter whether they pay for it, what they're doing is illegal."

"But is it stealing if they pay for it?" Duo persisted.

"They open fire on the freighter and board it without permission."

There was a long pause before Duo asked, "If you catch them, what kind of prison time are they looking at for that type of crime?"

Wufei sighed. Duo's questioning, as usual, were wearing. "I'm not a lawyer or judge, Duo, but I think they would be facing prison time similar to an armed robber entering a bank and waving his gun around, then deciding he didn't want to follow through with the robbery after all, but to make a deposit. The bank wouldn't be forgiving, and I don't think the crews of the freighters boarded are thrilled to be held at gun point while their cargo hold is being emptied."

Duo sighed on the other end of the line. "Point taken. I'm sorry, Wu. I can't help you."

"You mean you won't."

"I won't help you in this case, and you know why. Howard was like family to me. I won't do or say anything that would put him under any kind of suspicion. When he decides to resurface, I'll let him know you want to chat with him. I'll email him your contact numbers, but that's the best I can do for you."

Wufei was disappointed but not surprised. "Thank you. And Duo? I really just want to talk to him. I don't want to believe he has anything to do with this, but there are very few people who know about stealth technology. I'm running out of leads and have to follow up every one, even if it's uncomfortable to do so."

After a long pause, Duo replied. "I understand."

"I'll let you get back to your beauty sleep," Wufei joked, trying to lighten the mood between them.

"Wu?"

"Yes?"

"Next time you call, make it a personal one and not Preventer business."

"I will. Take care, Duo."

"You too, Wu. G'bye."

A soft smile lingered on the Chinese man's face after he'd hung up the phone. He hadn't had anyone call by that nickname since the war, and hadn't realized until now how much he had missed it. He promised himself that the next time he called Duo it would be because of something other than Preventer business.

He turned his attention back to his laptop. He hadn't found Howard, but he trusted Duo to contact the man, just as he said, by email at least. He now had to make the choice to either wait for a response from Howard that might never come, or to make his next move by getting permission to go to L2.

He spent the next two hours doing just that and was shocked by what he'd learned. He sat back in his chair, trying figure out why and how things had gotten so out of hand. A knock sounded on his door, bringing his attention to the time. It was after nine a.m. L4 time. He should have been up and dressed hours ago.

"Wufei?" It was Quatre.

Standing, he adjusted his robe and moved to open the door. He found the shorter man, dressed in pleated khaki pants and a white, long-sleeved shirt, standing in the hall with one hand in his pocket. "Morning," Quatre said with a warm smile. "Sleep in?"

"No. I had some business to conduct and the time got away from me," he answered.

Quatre gazed at him in that contemplating way that usually meant he was trying to read his emotions. It was a bit disturbing, having a friend who could do that so easily. "Something is troubling you."

"Yes," he admitted. "But how about waiting to drag it out of me until I have my shower and get dressed."

The bright blue eyes sparked with amusement. "Breakfast in a half hour?" Even though he'd had a wonderful dinner the night before, Wufei was surprised to find himself hungry again.

"Kitchen or dining room?"

Quatre's head tilted as he thought about the question for a moment. "How much privacy do we need?" Meaning that the kitchen staff would be present in that room.

Not fond of speaking his mind in front of strangers, Wufei made a quick decision.

"Somewhere private, please."

"My office downstairs then. See you in a half hour." Quatre then turned and walked calmly towards the stairs at the end of the hall.

A little over a half hour later, Wufei found himself seated in Quatre's office. It was a room rich with color, expensive yet comfortable furniture, paintings done by famous artists and a table filled with an assortment of breakfast food.

Trowa had come into the room only moments behind him and promptly took up a plate and began filling it with fruit and yogurt. Quatre chose eggs from a hot plate, fruit and a couple slices of bacon, for which he received a frown of disapproval from his lover. "I know," the blond shrugged. "But it won't hurt me once in a while." Wufei chose a combination of both fruit and protein, with a glass of cranberry juice and hot tea to wash it down.

The three men took a seat in the burgundy-colored chairs surrounding Quatre's desk, each made of supple leather. "So tell me what's troubling you?"

"L2," he answered, then took a drink of his juice. "Despite my position in Preventers and going through proper channels, meaning Director Une, I've discovered just how tight a noose had been set in place around that colony. No one, other than a single ship of supplies sent once a month from the UEC charity foundation, is allowed entrance to the colony. There is no presence of media, no monitoring by civil rights groups, no representatives from the UEC to direct negotiations or file reports on the progress of the L2 citizenry to correct the mistakes of their former leaders. The whole thing feels wrong and it makes me more determined than ever to get in there and see what's going on."

"It is wrong," Trowa spoke up in his quiet, evenly modulated voice. "Those of us growing up on the colonies know what it's like to live in fear of the controlling Earth government. That the UEC can do this to one colony legitimizes the fear that we traded one oppressive government for another."

Wufei understood completely. His colony had self destructed rather than be a pawn to the Alliance or OZ. He'd spent a great deal of time thinking about the irrevocable decision the elders made for the whole colony, murdering men, women and children to make a point. Even now, their decision to destroy the entire colony felt so incredibly wrong, but any judgment or condemnation he'd felt for the actions of his martyred elders made no difference now. His colony had been obliterated and was now consigned to history and to the judgment of scholars, politicians and every day citizens as to whether their actions were right or wrong. Either way, their deaths weighed heavily on his conscience and had left a gaping hole in his soul and years of nightmares. No colony should be put in that position ever again, not even the hell hole Duo came from. "I'm going to L2," he announced suddenly.

"Is that even possible?" Quatre asked, pushing his unfinished plate of food away, leaving one of the two pieces of bacon that he'd taken. "I tried to use my influence to send in humanitarian supplies over the past two years but my request was adamantly denied."

"I've been given permission to pass through the blockade. Une convinced the council members directing the embargo that I might be able to find evidence of the marauders there. She told them I was convinced that are acting ars modern day Robin Hoods, stealing from the richer colonies and giving to the poor and possibly starving people of L2."

"Is that what the pirates are doing?" Quatre asked, looking very much interested at such a prospect. "We've had quite a few freighters intercepted on their way here by these space raiders. I wondered where they could possibly be hiding such large amounts of supplies."

"I'm not positive if that is in fact what's happening," he answered the blond. "But logically it makes more sense than anything else I can come up with. And now I'm even more curious about what is going on in that colony. As Trowa brought up the other day, without monitors, how can the UEC know whether or not conditions have improved on L2? Can one shipment of food a month supply all the necessities the colonists trapped in there need to survive?"

"It sounds like a plan for systematic extermination," Trowa said as he rose from his chair to collect their plates one by one, giving Wufei a moment to absorb what he'd just suggested.

"I'll be leaving as soon as Une contacts me with the pass codes."

"Could you take along an observer?" Quatre asked, looking hopeful.

With some regret, he shook his head. "This is official Preventer business. I can't take you with me, Quatre."

"I'll go with you as your backup," Trowa offered as he returned to his chair with a cup of coffee in hand.

Not knowing what kind of reception to expect once he stepped onto the streets of L2, Wufei knew it would be safer to have someone at his back, someone he trusted implicitly. "I've got clearance to take a flight crew, but they're not to disembark the shuttle."

"Donnihan and Shoemaker?"

"Why not?" Wufei answered, setting his tea cup down. "They performed well enough and stayed out of the way on L1. "

"Stay in touch," Quatre requested, his eyes shifting from Wufei to his lover.

"I'll contact you as soon as we leave L2," Trowa assured him with a gentle smile.

Quatre nodded, resigned that the other two were going somewhere he couldn't. "I'll help you pack an overnight bag while you change."

Taking that as his cue, Trowa stood. "I'll be down in about a half hour, Wufei. Is that all right?"

"Yes. I'll wait for the pass code and contact the local branch to get Donnihan and Shoemaker assigned to us and requisition a scout ship."

Quatre led the way out of his office with Trowa one step behind him. Wufei followed their exit and watched as the taller man's arm went around Quatre's shoulder and pulled him close against his side. Wufei smiled, hoping that one day he'd find someone he could share a close and loving relationship with, similar to what his friends obviously enjoyed.

An hour and a half later the four Preventers boarded the same scouting ship they'd previously flown to L1. They disembarked from L4's docking facilities and set a course for L2. Several hours later the warning claxon sounded. Donnihan hit the communications button to receive the incoming broadcast. It was a recorded message that informed all ships approaching the forbidden colony that a UEC embargo was in place, and further stated that they could either turn around or prepare to be boarded or fired upon.

Wufei entered the cockpit and immediately reached over and typed in the code Director Une had given him. The voice of a man replaced the recorded message. "Pass code confirmed. State your name, position and reason for entering the embargo zone."

"Agent Chang Wufei, Preventer agent #0035CW. I'm following up on a lead to the marauders, possibly located on the L2 colony."

"Estimation of time on the colony?"

"Any where from six hours to several days."

There was a long pause that stretched out for several minutes. Just when Wufei was about to check the communication board to see if it was still functioning, the same voice as before announced, "Confirmed. Proceed to the colony and dock at service port number 14, second level. Contact will be made upon your return and you will use your initial pass code number or your craft will be destroyed."

"Understood. Chang out." Turning off the communication system, Wufei looked at the redheaded man. "You heard the man. Think you can find S.P. 14, level 2?"

"You bet," the pilot answered with a grin that reminded the Chinese agent of his braided friend.

With a nod to Shoemaker, sitting ramrod straight in the co-pilot's chair, he left the cockpit and returned to his seat next to Trowa, his mind preoccupied with what lay ahead for them within the metal walls of colony L2.

TBC


	18. Chapter 18

Lies - Between Friends and Lovers  
Chapter 17

Delays in leaving L4 and then journey from that colony to L2, including several mandatory stops along the blockade route, took much longer than Wufei had anticipated. It wasn't until the next day that the Preventer shuttle docked on L2 at precisely 8:15 a.m., Thursday morning. While waiting for the internal shield door to open, and after a brief debate, the two investigating Preventers decided to set aside their uniforms to explore the colony in civilian clothing. The torturous screeching that resulted from the heavy door sliding across its rusty track caused the men in the shuttle to wince painfully. Finally, blessedly, the near ear-bleeding sound came to a sudden end. With the silence as their cue the two men opened the outer shuttle hatch and left behind agents Shoemaker and Donnihan, entrusting them to guard the ship. Wufei and Trowa were immediately met by four extremely thin men dressed in ragged clothing, sporting untrimmed beards and exuding a most disagreeable odor of uncleanliness. Their greeters' eyes displayed various reactions to their unexpected arrival, including curiosity, hope, undisguised resentment and distrust.

"You from the UEC?" one ragged, gray bearded man asked as he stepped forward.

"Yes," Trowa answered before Wufei could identify them as Preventers. "We were sent to investigate the conditions on L2."

"Ya mean someone actually gives a shit about us?" the man returned with a sarcastic snort.

"There are a number of people concerned for your welfare," Trowa replied.

That answer didn't seem to placate the man or his scowling companions. "They sure didn't jump to our defense when the effin' blockade was put in place, cuttin' us off from everything, includin' food supplies."

"Many have voiced their concerns," Wufei added, and the man's piercing gaze turned to him.

"It's been years," he snarled. "These "many" voices gotta be damn weak and whisperin' for all the good they've done."

"Will you allow us to pass?" Trowa asked.

"Tell me your names."

"Trowa Barton and Chang Wufei," the auburn haired man supplied. He stuck out his hand to the man they'd been speaking to.

The ragged man glared at the offered hand for a moment, then almost begrudgingly stuck out his own boney, stained and dirty hand to give Trowa a firm shake. "Nate Andrak, guardian of the gate today."

"Guardian?" Wufei asked as Trowa stepped back to allow him the opportunity to shake hands also.

The man extended his hand to Wufei also, and as they shook he answered, "A volunteer." He motioned to the men just behind him. "Guardians see to things around here, protect and defend those who can't do it for themselves and make sure the food gets passed out evenly."

"Sounds like a difficult job," Trowa guessed.

Nate shrugged. "Not so bad now. Everyone here is too weak to care much about anythin' but getting their food and protectin' it from greedy thieves."

"If you don't mind, we'd like to have a look around," Wufei said in his most cordial manner to other man.

The guardian paused, and for the first time since they were greeted, he conferred with the other men in his group. A moment later he turned to address them again. "Sure, you can enter, but just don't ask for no food or water; we got none to spare. Oh, and don't wander too far from this port" he added. "We can't guarantee yur safety if ya go into places where yu're not welcome."

"We'll be careful," Trowa said.

The ragged leader sighed. "Follow me then."

Once they exited the abandoned terminal, the small band of men separated, leaving only Nate standing next to them. He pointed to his right. "Yu'll get a good idea of what it's like here if ya go that way. Stay clear of the alleyways, and for God's sake don't go down any of them. It would be best if yu're back in your shuttle by dark. Nothin' good happens on the streets when the lights go out."

"Thank you, Nate," Trowa said with a polite nod.

"Just do me a favor, heh? Tell the truth of what's gone on here to anyone who'll listen. We're being killed off here and we can't figure out why. Is this happenin' to any other colony?"

"No," Trowa replied. "But there is a growing fear throughout the colonies that L2 is meant to be an example to the rest of us, an unspoken warning of what will happen if we don't fully cooperate the UEC."

"I don't know who the hell is running this UEC, but it ain't right what they're doin' to us," the man muttered, then with hunched shoulders he walked away, leaving the two off-colony men behind.

Wufei took a look around. At first glance L2 looked like the population centers of the other colonies, being surrounded by metal, multi-storied buildings. But the lack of motor vehicles and foot traffic was hauntingly chilling, and the offensive stench of sewage and the stink of unwashed bodies filling the air was nothing like the other well-maintained colonies. He wondered for a moment about the filtering system. Had the UEC supplied the colony with the most fundamental supplies for living on a colony and, namely filtering, heating and oxygen systems?

"Let's go," Trowa said, interrupting his partner's thoughts by stepping in front of him and moving in the direction Nate had directed them to go.

Though they were casually dressed, Wufei had no idea about how out of place he and Trowa would appear in their worn blue jeans and t-shirts until they walked the streets of L2 and saw the beggarly appearance of every citizen they encountered. It was glaringly obvious by their clothing and healthy, well-fed appearances that they were newly arrived on the colony, that they didn't belong there. He felt a momentary wave of guilt about the large breakfast that had been set up in Quatre's den that morning, sensing that no one on this colony had known anything like that for the past two years, if ever.

There was no litter on the streets, at least not in front of the buildings they passed by. The alleyways, though, appeared clogged with broken refrigerators, metal tables and chairs, mattress frames and other unrecognizable items. No doubt there were some unfortunates living on the fringe of these suffering people who took refuge in such places, having nowhere else to go.

Carrying their weapons beneath lightweight jackets, the two men walked cautiously along the streets, fully alert to their surroundings and an arm's distance away from each other, leaving enough room to act if they found the need to defend themselves. Though there was animosity in the eyes of those who took notice of them, the general populace seemed apathetic. It was impossible to overlook the haggard appearance of the citizenry. Everyone appeared gaunt and emaciated, their clothing well-used and hanging on boney, slumped shoulders. These people were obviously starving, and seeing proof of the hardships caused by the UEC's blockade made Wufei angrier than he'd been in a very long time. No wonder the media had been banned from L2, he inwardly fumed. If the people of Earth knew what was happening here, there would be a public outcry.

Or would there?

He knew from living on the planet for several years now, that with distance came apathy. If danger, disasters, famine or murder didn't happen in your own backyard, people had a tendency to turn away from it because it didn't affect their daily life.

"Look," Trowa pointed to a place up ahead. There seemed to be a gathering in front of a building. As they drew closer, Wufei observed a group of people, young and old, standing in line. They were orderly and strangely quiet. He and Trowa paused to watch them for a moment, wondering what was going on. When a child came running by, Trowa reached out and grabbed him by the arm. Wide frightened eyes on a dirty face looked up at him.

"What are they waiting in line for?" he asked the boy in a gentle voice that Wufei was sure he must have used when taming the wild animals at the circus.

The boy looked from Trowa to the line of people. "That's where we wait in line fur food," he answered, trying to pull his arm out of Trowa's firm clasp.

"Is that where you're going?" Wufei asked.

"Nah, I'm a kid, gots first pick come Monday. Can I go now?"

Trowa let go of the lad, who took off in a shot. "For a lawless colony, they seemed to have a system worked out," the taller man observed.

Wufei gave a nod in response. He wanted to reserve judgment until he'd had a better look around. Together they moved closer, and as they passed by those individuals standing in line, he couldn't help but notice that most of their eyes were fixed, with a look of desperation in them, on the double doors of the store they were lined up against. A quick glance at the sign hanging above the window confirmed that it had been a food market. In the upper half of the front window, a handwritten sign on a... bed sheet, from the looks of it, renamed the store _Distribution Center #5._ Surprisingly, and unlike most of the empty and abandoned stores they'd passed, the barred window appeared intact and fairly clean. As he peered through it, Wufei was stunned when he recognized one of the people rushing around inside. He narrowed his eyes, disbelieving what he was seeing. But there was no denying it, he was looking at Duo's friend from the war, Hilde ...? He couldn't recall her last name, remembering only that it was German sounding and began with an S.

"Trowa." When the auburn haired man turned, he pointed to the window.

Trowa followed his direction and looked through the window. His eyes lit up with recognition. "Let's get in line." Turning around, they went to the back of the line of curious yet lethargic people just as the front doors to the store opened. In a surprisingly orderly manner, the silent group shuffled forward, the two Preventers moving with them.

It took about thirty-five minutes before they were able to get inside the building where they observed that food items and water were carefully being handed out to each citizen who displayed a badge of some sort to the person helping them at a counter. The workers included two beefy men who stood at the front door like sentinels and five individuals working behind the counter long counter. Those five briefly studied the badge of each and every person presenting themselves before disappearing behind a curtained-off area. They returned several moments later with an armful of food. After explaining to the two guards the reason for their not having a badge, that they were observers sent from Earth, they were allowed through. Even then it took yet another ten minutes before they were able to approach the counter where a somewhat clean, plain-looking woman of questionable age looked them up and down before belligerently asking, "Who'r you?"

Trowa smiled at her. "Could we speak with Hilde Schweibecker?"

"What for?"

"We're old friends, from the war."

The woman continued to scowl, obviously suspicious of the two strangers. After heaving a loud sigh, she shook her head and turned to look over her shoulder towards the curtained doorway to yell out, "Hilde. There's a couple of off-colony strangers out here claiming ta be friends of yurs... from the war." The room, which had been strangely quiet to begin with, now fell completely silent and all eyes were unabashedly fixed on the two outsiders.

Hilde came out from behind the curtain and her eyes widened after recognizing the men at the counter. A slow smile grew on her thin yet still pretty face. "Well, I'll be damned," she grinned. Speaking to the other working behind the counter she instructed, "Go ahead and finish up, then bolt the doors for the night." She then turned back to the two off-colony men. "Come back to my office where we can talk." She motioned them around the end of the counter with a smile that made them appear as if they were close friends.

She kept up the facade of being on friendly terms until they had moved behind the curtained partition, past open boxes of supplies and into the very back of the building. Turning swiftly enough to startle them, with a suspicious glint in her eyes, she asked. "What the hell are you two doing here?" She kept her voice down as much as possible while her eyes were ablaze with anger.

"Preventer business," Wufei answered. Now that he was standing close to her, he could see the same gauntness in her face that he'd observed on everyone else he'd encountered on the colony. He recalled Hilde being a wisp of a girl when he'd seen her just after the war. Two years of struggling to survive seemed to have kept her locked in that girlish state. Her figure lacked most of the womanly curves he'd expect of someone her age. She was as slight as a boy with only the barest hint of two slight curves at the front of her blouse, evidence that she was indeed of the female gender. Her black hair had grown, he noted, but it was limp, greasy and held no luster. Once cut as short as Heero or Quatre's, she now wore her black, dull hair in two braids that fell several inches over each shoulder.

Her eyes narrowed suspiciously as she questioned them. "Are you here to help us or cause more problems?"

"We mean no harm to you or anyone else on L2," Trowa answered.

"Then you're here to help?" she asked with a gleam of hope shining in her eyes.

"We're trying to track a group of pirates," Wufei explained. "We were wondering if you have seen any unfamiliar people who might be storing stolen goods here on L2, perhaps selling them on the black market?"

"Pirates? Black market? That's what you came her for?" The young woman looked astonished at the Chinese Preventer's questions, than a quick flash of annoyance swept over her thin face. "I can't fucking believe it," she said with a disbelieving shake of her head.

Then turning towards Wufei with a look that was anything but friendly she answered, "If someone was bringing food into L2, it damn well wouldn't be stored or sold on the streets," she answered acerbically. "Believe me, starving people can sniff out a can of vacuum-packed dried food even if it was disguised as garbage. There's no food being stored on this colony, other than what's in this room and several other supply stations. As for the black market," she gave a disdainful snort. "The only market here is bartering. Money has no value. People sell their bodies or trade clothing, blankets, water or food for whatever they want. That's L2's only market these days."

"Have you seen any off-colony strangers?" Wufei asked.

"With food?"

He nodded.

"If there were we'd consider them angels sent from God and wouldn't be stupid enough to tell you."

Looking around the room and noting the open boxes, Wufei moved to peer into one and caught the sight of foil packaged food neatly stacked inside before Hilde stepped in front of him. "What are doing?" she demanded. "You can't go snooping around here. Don't you need some kind of warrant to butt around in my business?"

"I was just curious," he answered, taking a step back. "You sound as if you have something to hide."

"You should be able to understand my distrust of anyone representing a government that is starving us to death."

"The UEC is trying to contain the lawless..."

"I know what they're doing!" Hilde shouted, her eyes blazing with anger. "I live the nightmare every time I take a breath. Take a look around, Mr. Preventer. What do you see? Are we rioting in the streets? Are we murdering each other in broad daylight? The thugs the UEC disapproved of have been dead for well over a year, but no one seems to care. Why have our pleas for help to those who deliver the monthly charity supplies been ignored? Why are we, the men, women and helpless children, still being punished?"

Pushing a loose strand of hair behind his ear, Wufei tried to think of a plausible answer. He couldn't. "I don't know," he replied. "But you can rest assured a full report will be made to my director and the questions you've asked me will be answered."

"Yeah, right. Like I haven't heard that before," Hilde mumbled with a look of utter weariness in her eyes. She ran a boney hand down one of her braids. "Look, I have to get back to work."

"We understand," Trowa said, the first words he'd spoken since meeting up with Hilde. "Is there anything we can do for you? Is there anyone off colony you want to send a message to?"

"Not that I can think of. Have you seen Duo? Is he keeping himself out of trouble?"

"He's doing well," Trowa answered.

She nodded, satisfied. "I'm glad he's not here. He had his share of hunger and suffering during his childhood. He certainly doesn't deserve to have a life like that now, being a war hero and all."

"Does anyone deserve this?" Trowa asked.

Wufei turned to appraise his friend, wondering where the Preventer's loyalties lay. That Trowa allied himself with his lover was no secret, and Quatre had made several public statements challenging the legality of the UEC cutting l2 off from all space travel and trade.

Hilde's ire was stirred up once more as she said, "Incarcerated convicts on Earth are treated better than we are, with adequate food, clothing, air and water supplies. They even have television and contact with their families and friends, things that are denied everyone on L2. We've not been charged with a crime, nor convicted in a court of law, and yet the entire colony has been put on death row. How's that for United Earth and Colony justice?"

Hilde obviously didn't expect an answer because she turned and motioned for the two men to follow her to a door at the back of the building. "Our discussion is over. You'll attract less attention if you go out this way," she said as she unbolted the lock on the metal door. Swinging it open on rusty hinges, the terrible screech of metal on metal grated on their ears.

"Thank you for speaking with us," Wufei said, preoccupied with thoughts of the UEC's policy and how wrong it seemed from his current point of view.

Hilde caught Trowa's arm as the man moved past her, momentarily halting his exit. "Say hi to Duo for me. Tell him he still owes me a steak dinner."

Trowa's lips curved slightly upward. "I will," he told her. She released his arm and shut the door once the two of them were out of the building.

For the rest of the day the two Preventers walked the streets near the terminal where their shuttle was docked. Few words passed between them as they observed the wretched conditions that the citizens of L2 were forced to live in.

They entered the Preventer shuttle to a barrage of questions from the two men waiting for them. Wufei halted them with a raised hand. "I want to stay a bit longer and gather information, interview some of the people and take pictures. Do we have enough supplies to last the four of us a couple of days?"

"More than enough," the red headed Donnihan replied.

"Good. Separate two days of rations from the food stores and put the remainder in a bag for us to distribute." Looking at Trowa, he got the nod of approval he expected. He then excused himself, leaving his partner to tell the other two men what they'd seen. For himself, Wufei wanted to meditate on all that he'd experienced, to weigh out in his mind the UEC's reasoning behind the blockade with the suffering he'd witnessed.

His thoughts remained troubled as he sat on the floor of the bathroom and took up the lotus position. He tried to clear his mind in order to get into a meditative state but failed when the image of Duo's friend, Hilde, with her gaunt face and weary eyes, refused to be banished from his mind's eye. Frustration swept over him as his mind and body failed to relax, even after using all the techniques he'd been schooled in since his youth. Hadn't he fought for his colony to prevent them from suffering under the tightening grip of the Alliance and then OZ? How could he continue to justify what the UEC was doing to the people of L2? Hilde was right; she and everyone else on the colony were being treated worse than convicted criminals in UEC's prisons.

He had to do something.

Taking a deep breath, he plotted out his own course of action. He would write down a detailed report, recounting interviews from various citizens, attach photographs as proof of their suffering and articulate every detail of the atrocities he'd witnessed that day, describing the skeletal bodies of men, women and children and sickness caused by the lack of fundamental necessities. He had every intention of personally handing the report to Une and asking the same questions Hilde had asked him earlier. He decided then and there not to leave the head of Preventer's office until he'd was satisfied the answers to all of Hilde's questions, and maybe a few of his own.

Tbc


	19. Chapter 19

Lies - Between Friends and Lovers  
Chapter 18

Relena was in the process of washing the only pair of underwear she owned in the bathroom sink. The scant amount of water in the basin had already been used by the two other women she lived with, but she didn't want to think about that at the moment. It felt odd not wearing undergarments beneath the second-hand clothing she'd found herself wearing after waking up on L2 a little over two weeks ago. It still bothered her, not knowing who had undressed her and put the rather shabby apparel on her unconscious body. Had it been a man or a woman? She honestly didn't know if learning the answer to that question would ease her mind or not. Still, after all that had happened, she decided it was time to let that worry go. There were more pressing matters to think about now than her modesty.

Glancing out the bathroom door, she could see into the kitchenette and the shelf assigned to her that held one silver package of food. It was all that remained from her week's supply. If she was very careful, she might be able to refrain from eating it, saving the extra meal for the day when she just couldn't bear being hungry any longer. Today was Friday, the day she would stand in line for food at the distribution center. She had awakened early and was so anxious about the prospect of receiving her weekly allowance of food that she had to fight back the tears that wanted so badly to be shed. _I will not cry_, she firmly told herself for the umpteenth time. She'd only been on L2 for a little more than two weeks, so whatever hardships and suffering she'd experienced were minuscule when compared to the those who had managed to survive the embargo on their colony. They certainly had more reason to cry than she did. Even so, the only crying she'd heard was the distant cry of what she supposed was a hungry child, and that had happened only twice since her arrival. She refused to give into self pity and tears when her roommates and everyone else she'd encountered had suffered so much more.

She was terribly hungry, and had been since getting over the shock of being on L2. She'd slowly given up wondering how she'd gotten there and trying to figure out the reason for her abduction in lieu of focusing on her minimal food supply and how to make it last. Fearing to drink the vile-looking stuff that came out of the faucets, believing it fit only for washing and the toilet, she'd bartered some of her food for more pouches of water, finding her thirst almost as great as her hunger. She had sipped from her precious water supply only when she was extremely thirsty, but now the lack of food was gnawing at her empty stomach and causing her to regret exchanging those pouches for the water.

Wringing out her underwear, she carefully hung it over the otherwise unused shower head along with her bra, knowing that no one would disturb them. Standing back to give the two articles of clothing a look of satisfaction, she wiped the sweat from off her forehead with the sleeve of her sweater, now quite dirty from constant wear. She would wash it also, but was reluctant to use any more water for the task. Plus, she hesitated to remove the outer garment even though the ill-maintained colony was often too warm during the day, its cooling system not working properly. By night, however, the colony's interior turned icy, the solar panels obviously in no better condition than cooling units. Her sweater then became a necessity she dare not risk being without because it might be still be damp from washing. It was a wonder to her how the colonists had survived living under such conditions.

After shutting off the lightbulb hanging from a cord attached to the ceiling, she exited the bathroom just as Havoc entered the apartment. The short, black hair and bearded man gave her only a cursory glance before moving into the kitchenette, where he poured himself a glass of water from the tap. Relena looked on in disgust at the cloudy, almost grayish substance that filled the heavily fingerprint-covered glass as the older man brought it to his lips and swallowed the entire contents to the last drop. Setting the glass back in the spot it always inhabited, the perpetually unfriendly man turned to face her.

"I wouldn't leave your food out where others can see it," he warned her while wiping the drops of water off his shaggy black beard with the sleeve of his faded and worn plaid shirt.

"Rida said no one would steal it," she replied.

"No one who lives with you would," he answered. "But I can't say the same for some hungry bugger who passes by our door and spies it on the shelf. You can trust us, darlin', but no one else. Got it?"

She nodded. Havoc had avoided speaking with her since the first day of her arrival. He knew who she was, and this was the second warning the man had given her. The first had been to not use her name. So to anyone who asked, and those had been very few, she told them her name was Lena.

"Hunger drives an honorable person to drastic measures, pushes the starving to do things they wouldn't normally do, like stealing," Havoc added. He then studied her for the first time since the day of her arrival. "You've little food left. Are you hungry?"

"Yes," she answered.

"Will ya do just about anything to get your next meal?"

"No," she answered with heartfelt conviction and lifting her chin defiantly.

"Then you really haven't experienced the hunger we've all known. If ever the supplies run out and there are days left before another shipment comes in, then you'll know what it's really like to truly be hungry."

"That really happens?" As hungry as she was, there had been a small measure of comfort in knowing she'd saved that one pouch of food. But one wouldn't be enough to stave off her hunger if she had to make it last more than one day. After a couple of days without additional food, she didn't know if she could put on such a brave face.

"It has," Havoc answered sadly. "At the beginning of the embargo. That's when we lost the older ones and the babies. We had to eject as many as one hundred bodies into space the last time it happened. We haven't the good health nor fat reserves to go without food for more than a couple of days. That's what the UEC's sanctions have brought us to. We're a far cry from the rough and rebellious colony we used to be, but one thing's for sure; if we ever get out of here, the UEC will find it's got themselves a new generation of colonists who despise them. Then again, maybe starving us all to death is your government's way of preemptin' future problems. It's almost too bad they don't know that you, their darling symbol of peace, is sufferin' right along with us." There was bitterness in his voice, and Relena couldn't help but understand. She too was feeling bitter about the whole situation.

She hadn't come into contact with many of L2's citizens, but she'd seen their sorry state first hand and experienced the pangs of hunger they felt. And along with these suffering people, she spent hour after hour with nothing to do but think about her food allotment and when she was going to consume it, hoping she could control her hunger enough that she didn't eat everything all in one go. She could barely remember how it felt like to feel sated with a full stomach. She could no longer argue that the UEC had been correct in its actions towards the people of L2. If her flatmates represented those living on the colony, they had proven to be decent enough people, uneducated for the most part but honest and giving, as much as they could be with their limited means.

A sharp knock sounded at the front door, startling both of them. Havoc turned and went to answer it, opening the door just a crack to see who was outside. In the time that she'd been there, Relena couldn't remember anyone knocking on their door before. She heard the sound of a man's voice, though it was too low for her to understand his words. Havoc looked over his shoulder at her and said, "It's for me. Stay in here."

"But it's almost time for me to leave for the distribution center," she reminded him.

"I won't be long."

Before she could blink he was out of the room, the front door firmly closing behind him. She knew it was rude, but she was curious about the man's business. She really didn't know much about Havoc, other than the what he'd told her. He had indicated he'd once been a Sweeper and, from what she'd learned from Heero, the Sweepers were a close knit group of men and women who had a hand into almost everything that happened in space. From what she knew, that statement seemed to be the truth, for during the war the Sweepers had a hand in constructing at least one gundam. Her brother had told her of a Sweeper sailing vessel picking him up on a beach after Epyon had been damaged in battle during the first war. That same man, Howard, had built and captained both that seafaring ship and the space cruiser Peacemillion, which supported the gundam pilots in the final battles preceding the destruction of the battle station, Libra. She wondered if indeed the Sweepers were such a tight group, would they leave a fellow Sweeper on L2 to starve? She stopped herself from going down the path her logical mind began to take, wondering if Havoc had been placed on the colony with instructions to watch her. He was as painfully thin and on the verge of starvation like everyone else, a clear indication that he'd been here as long as all the other people she'd encountered. Still, she was curious about Havoc's visitor and what he had to say away from her presence.

Moving noiselessly to the room's entrance, she pressed her ear to the door and tried to make out what the men on the other side of it were saying. The words weren't clear, but she thought she heard one of the men say the words Preventers and snooping. A sudden movement of the door handle indicated that whatever the conversation had been about, it was now over. She made a beeline back to the crate used for sitting and tried to look uninterested as Havoc re-entered the room.

"There's some trouble brewing in the streets," he informed her. "You're to stay in the flat until further notice."

"Why me and not Gian or Rida?" she countered.

"When they return they will be given the same orders."

Relena watched as the older man came towards her and sat down on the floor. He took a knife out of his pocket, opened it and began to clean the dirt out from under his fingernails. It reminded her of someone, and she spent a distracted moment trying to remember who. Duo Maxwell, her memory supplied. She had seen him do the very same thing at the school she had attended with both he and Heero. Even though that had been at the beginning of the first war, she recalled being shocked by the sight of a boy cleaning under his fingernails in such a dangerous manner. When she asked him if that was wise, he'd smirked, saying his knife was his best friend and that it would never hurt him. What an odd thing to say, she'd thought, but knowing Heero had also done some very unorthodox things during their brief acquaintance, she tried not to judge him. Duo was from L2, and it was said he was associated with the Sweepers. Did Havoc know the former gundam pilot?

"Havoc?"

"Hum?"

"Do you know a young man by the name of Duo Maxwell?"

To her surprise, the man chuckled. He didn't look up from his task as he answered, "All the Sweepers have heard about the kid, but that doesn't mean I 'know' him."

"Do you?"

"Maybe, maybe not. What's it to you?"

"Just curious," she answered, studying the man and trying to figure him out.

"Curiosity killed the rat," he replied with a wicked grin.

"Cat. Curiosity killed the cat," she corrected.

The man looked up and his beady eyes flashed with amusement, "Honey, the cats on L2 were eaten up two years ago, along with the dogs. Rats are now on the verge of extinction."

She felt sick.

Havoc went back to cleaning his nails in silence, giving her some time to ponder over what had transpired out in the hallway. If she was being forced to stay indoors, there must be a reason for it, other than what Havoc stated. And if she'd heard correctly, something had been said about the Preventers. Hope sprang up within her. Had the Preventers, by some miracle, traced her here? Was there a rescue attempt being made? Her heart began to beat faster, anticipating a rescue from the horrid colony and starvation. Shifting her eyes to the man in front of her, she began to wonder if he was there to keep guard over her, to make sure she didn't go against whoever gave the order to keep her inside. She now doubted Havoc's word that she, Gian and Rida needed to be kept indoors for their safety. He probably just said that to make the order sound legitimate. She'd play along, just until the man felt secure that the situation was well in hand. She didn't want him to suspect that she had an idea that something was going on, because when he finally relaxed his guard she had every intention of slipping out of the apartment and finding the Preventer team she was sure was there to find and return her to Earth.

Tbc

Thanks to everyone who takes the time to type in your comments. I appreciate hearing from you.


	20. Chapter 20

**Lies - Between Friends and Lovers**

**Chapter 19**

Trowa and Wufei exited the shuttle early the next morning wearing the same clothes they had worn the day before. This time, however, they also carried with them a large duffle bag filled with food. Their first goal of the day was to find the former Preventer headquarters, occupied until just before the embargo sanctions had been levied on the colony. Trowa had agreed with Wufei's plan to use the food to loosen the tongues of the otherwise reticent colonists. They hoped to gain information about the marauders as well as to collect proof of the appalling conditions the UEC's sanctions were causing the people of L2. Both reports would be dispatched to Director Une immediately after leaving the colony.

Wufei had initially proposed they hand the extra food on the shuttle to Hilde, believing it would be distributed fairly. Yet after some discussion they came up with the idea of using the food to benefit not only the people they encountered, but to gain their confidence. The few citizens they had questioned the day before had been suspicious of them and were reluctant to speak openly. As a result, they'd gathered little to no information.

They cautiously walked the nearly deserted, early-morning streets, following an old map and they'd gotten from the ship's computer that indicated the location of the former Preventer headquarters. Their progress was viewed with suspicion by the stand-offish residents in that area. Both men felt a measure of relief when at last they stood before their destination. With no lock or doorknob on the front door, they simply walked inside and inspected the building. It came as no surprise to either man that the offices that had once housing twelve Preventers were stripped bare. The four large rooms were completely divested of all furniture, floor and wall coverings.

"What now?" Trowa asked, setting down his backpack.

"We question anyone we can lure through the doors," Wufei answered as he reached down to the duffle bag and unzipped it. He pulled out several silver ration packets and moved to the front window, the glass surprisingly intact. He set them on the sill, then moved to the front door and opened it.

"We've just advertised that we're Preventers, you know."

"It doesn't matter. They already know we're off-colony, looking as healthy as we do."

The two stayed near the open door, ready to greet anyone who braved entering. Three hours passed before a small reluctant party arrived, but they weren't exactly what Wufei had anticipated. Three ragged, skinny and unkempt children cautiously leaned into the open doorway, immediately spying the two men sitting on the floor looking as non-threatening as possible. Trowa stood first, rising slowly with his hands out in front of him.

"Hello," he greeted them with a small smile. "Don't be afraid. We won't hurt you."

One of the children bravely stepped forward with only his eyes displaying his fear. "You got food?"

"Yes we do," Wufei answered, rising with deliberate slowness in order to not startle the children. "We have some to spare."

"Whadda ya wants to trade fur it?"

"Just a chat," Wufei replied. From the corner of his eye he spied Trowa lowering his tall body down on bended knee in order to be at eye level with the three.

"You see," Trowa continued, his voice calm and entreating, "we're off-colony people, and we want to tell everyone how bad things are here. Do you think you could spare a little time to talk with us?"

The lead child studied them with narrowed eyes. It was difficult for both men to determine the sex of the little leader due to the baggy, ragged clothing, the long and dirty unkempt hair and the dirt smudges on the small face. In fact, all three children were in the same bedraggled condition with eyes that looked larger than normal on their thin, almost skeletal faces.

"We'll talk as long as we can eat," the one in front said.

"I'm Trowa and this is Wufei," was the simple introduction.

"I'm Al," the leader said with a stony expression. The child motioned to the two other children. "That's Stef and Ben. Don't mess wiff Stef or we'll kill ya."

"We have no intention of messing with any of you," Trowa said quickly, hoping to reassure the three. "We only want to talk."

"Talk ain't cheap."

Wufei bent over to remove three pouches from the backpack. "Come and sit in front of us. We'll talk while you eat," he offered.

Timidly, obviously not trusting the two strangers, the tallest of the three took a step forward. The other two, with a hand on Al's shirt, were pulled forward as well, their eyes darting about the room as if they were looking for a trap to be sprung.

Trowa sat where he was, crossing his legs in front of him. Wufei, assuming his height might be intimidating to the children, followed his example. He waited patiently for the three to sit down before handing them the desired packets.

"Are you brothers and sister?" Trowa asked.

"Nah, but we takes care of each other," Al replied while tearing the foil pouch with yellow teeth.

"Do you have parents?"

"We did, now we've got each other."

Trowa cast a glance at his partner, his eyes sad. "Duo," he whispered, and Wufei knew they were thinking along the same lines. Their former comrade was an orphan with no recollection of his parents or how he came to live on the streets of L2. They both turned their attention back to the three devouring their food packs and couldn't help but wonder if this was how their friend had looked when he was a child: ragged, near starved and unwanted except for the gang he hung out with. Wufei thought it was no wonder their friend never wanted to return to L2. There was probably nothing but bad memories and heartache for him in this rotting metal shell of a colony.

"Where do you live?" Wufei asked the eldest child.

Al looked up with food on his lips and chin. "Ya gotta be kidding me. I thought you guys were on the up and up."

"We are," Trowa replied. "You don't need to tell us exactly, we're just curious to know if you have shelter at night."

"We've all got a place, the Guardians see to that. We're holed up with a couple of bums who steal our food whenever they can. See, being kids we gets more ta eat at the dis-ta-bution place than they do, so they take our food thinkin' we got more than enough, that we won't get hungry. They're wrong," Al said sullenly. "We're always hungry."

"Do you mind if I take your picture?" Wufei asked as he pulled a digital camera out of his backpack.

"What's that?"

"This is a camera," he explained, realizing the three probably had no idea what a camera was. Tilting the silver device, he first pointed to the top. "When I push this button, your image is put inside of it, and when I plug it into my computer your picture will come up and I can print it on paper." That was the simplest definition he could come up with. "This will enable me to show others what you look like when I tell them about our conversation."

With a stubborn tilt of his chin Al firmly stated, "We're not takin' our clothes off."

Bile rose up from Wufei's stomach at the insinuation. Evidently these children did know something about cameras. "Of course not," he rushed to agree.

Al thought about the request for a moment. "Okay, but ya have ta give us another package of food."

Wufei handed the camera to Trowa in order to pull out three more silver packages from the duffle bag, deliberately choosing desserts. Six dirty hands reached out for the food, but Wufei held them back. "After the picture," he said.

The three unsmiling children looked less than thrilled as Trowa snapped their pictures, but a definite spark of life sprung up in their dull eyes when the food packages were handed over to them as promised.

Again the three ripped the packets open with teeth that had probably never seen a dentist. The two men watched as the children got a taste of the sweet contents of their package. "What's this?" gasped the child Wufei remembered was named Stef.

Leaning over to read the lettering on the pouch, he answered, "Apple cobbler."

"It's the best. Taste it, Al."

The leader dutifully dipped a grubby finger into the pouch and then put the gooey mess into his mouth. His eyes widened with surprise. He then hurried to taste his own. "It's different. What's this one?"

Trowa sat closer to the boy, so he turned his head to read the label and answered, "Chocolate cake."

Al let the other two take a taste from his pouch and then the third, younger child, Ben, shared his cheesecake dessert with them in return. Having eaten all of their desserts, the three ripped the packages open and proceeded to lick the inside lining clean. Al looked up and with a pleased grin said, "Thanks, mister."

With their permission, Wufei took another picture of each of the children and then another one of the three together. As for himself, he wouldn't need a picture in hand to recall these three little ones. Their faces, voices and smiles would be forever imprinted in his memory. They spoke a bit more with the three children and learned that the general populace had very little to do during the day and that they generally stayed indoors, in the rooms assigned to them, to conserve their energy and avoid those who roamed the colony at night, looking for trouble.

"Do you know who brings food to the colony?" Wufei asked as casually as he could manage.

Al looked at him as if he were daft in the head. "The Guardians bring us the food. Who else?"

"No, I mean the men who fly the food here, in shuttles. Do you know who they are?"

The boy shrugged. "Alls I know is that the Guardians bring food to the dis-ta-bution center and the workers dole it out ta us."

"How often do they bring new supplies?"

The boy rolled his eyes upward and his mouth twisted slightly as he thought about the question. "I dunno, at least once between every pickup day."

"Pick up day?" Trowa asked.

Those brown eyes rolled yet again. "The day we pick up our food. Man, you guys don't know nothin'."

Trowa grinned. "Perhaps not. But that's why we're talking to you."

The sudden sound of a female voice calling their names had the children's heads turning to the open door. When the woman sharply called out all three names a second time, Al jumped to his feet and the other two followed. "Gotta go," he said in a rush. He moved quickly towards the doorway, pushing the smaller two smaller children in front of him. He stopped before disappearing out of it to say, "Don't tell nobody ya gave us the food. They'll raid our stash if they think we got more than our fair share."

Both Preventers stood and watched the three disappear out the door. Moving quickly to the front window, they observed a woman of undetermined age scolding the three while eying the former Preventer building. For a long moment her eyes focused on the packages of food sitting on the window sill, but instead of being enticed by the promise of food, she turned and grabbed hold of both Ben and Stef's collars and pulled them down the street with Al in tow.

"I can't say we learned much in exchange for six packages of food," Wufei said thoughtfully. "But I don't begrudge those children having them. I wish I had a ship full of food to give them."

"Perhaps the pictures and reports we turn in will be a catalyst for change."

Wufei didn't reply, but sighed deeply as he turned from the window and returned to sit on the floor, prepared to wait for another hungry person to come looking for a handout.

By the end of the day they'd spoken to four other children, two lethargic men and an older woman who appeared to be mentally challenged. Unfortunately, they hadn't acquired any more information from them than they had from Al. As the day drew to a close, the two Preventers returned to the shuttle for the night, heeding the warning to be inside and off the streets before the colony's lights dimmed.

The next morning they returned to the same building, hoping that word of mouth would bring more people to their door. Al, Steph and Ben came back, but this time Wufei gave them only one package of food each, knowing there were others who were in the same desperate need of food but were to afraid to approach them and ask for help. Five others came through the door of the Preventer building that day, mostly single men, but no one was able, or perhaps willing, to tell them anything about who, other than the monthly UEC charity drop, was bringing food to the colony.

Seeing that they were getting nowhere with their food-for-information plan, the two men agreed that they should walk around the immediate area and take as many pictures as possible. Unlike the day before, more people appeared to be out on the streets, and Wufei decided their presence provided them with the opportunity to take their pictures. Their near-starved, emaciated state, captured on film, would say more than mere words could describe.

Trowa accompanied his partner as he took shot after shot of the wary L2 citizens, acting as Wufei's backup while he took the pictures. It was obvious that the Chinese man was deeply disturbed by the experience. After taking a picture of a toothless woman with a severely bowed back, then watching her hobble away with the newly acquired food pouch clutched in her hands, Wufei leaned against the wall of a building to inspect the quality of the shots he taken on the camera's viewer.

"Are you all right?" Trowa asked, concerned by the heartsick look on the other man's face.

Wufei looked up from the camera in his hand. He was shaken by the images and the people he'd spoken to. "Let's go, I've got all that I need. The sooner I can get this information back to Earth and report what we've seen, the quicker things can be remedied."

A skeptical eyebrow rose as Trowa asked, "You really believe that our reports and these pictures will change the UEC's mind about L2?"

"If they won't listen, I'm sure the news media will."

"You'll be going against Preventer policy if you go to the press, endangering your job."

Wufei's gaze remained fixed on his partner's face, his dark eyes filled with anger as he thought over the risks of going to the media. "I guess I'll cross that bridge when I get to it," he said at last. "I only know that I cannot stand idly by while this travesty continues."

"One has to wonder if there's another reason for this systematic extermination of the people of L2, other than the gang violence and anarchy" Trowa said thoughtfully. "If an embargo can happen here, what's to stop the UEC from acting in a similar manner when the other colonies don't bow to their rules or demands? I suspect that whoever is behind this has an agenda. We can only blindly guess at this point who it is, the true reasons behind the embargo, and what it's final purpose might be."

"Does Quatre know who might be behind this?"

Trowa shook his head. "He has his suspicions, but the person or group responsible has covered their tracks well. Several months after the sanctions on L2 were put in place, we hired a discrete private investigator. He gave us the names of several men in the UEC's parliament, those who aggressively pushed for the sanctions. His investigations revealed that three of them were former Alliance officers stationed on this colony before Operation Meteor began."

"Could the embargo be the means for a coverup?" Wufei questioned and his stomach clenched at the idea that so many people were made to suffer in order to hide the mistakes of a few men.

"That's what we believe. Shortly after he began working for Quatre's sister, Duo gave an interview that was printed in all the major magazines. He questioned why the UEC never investigated the atrocities committed on L2 by the Alliance and OZ. He suggested the plague that killed so many when he was a child was purposely released to eliminate the increasing number of poor and street people. Two months after that interview, the sanctions were levied, successfully halting any further talk of an investigation."

"You don't think it's a coincidence, do you?"

Trowa shook his head. "No, we don't."

"Why didn't you mention this before?"

The brunet looked his friend in the eyes and answered, "Until now, you weren't ready to believe the UEC to be morally capable of starving a colony much less deliberately releasing a killing virus on helpless victims."

Wufei turned his head to survey the deteriorating colony that was unlike any other place he'd been. It was abnormally quiet for a colony, with no commerce, traffic or businesses. The people shuffled from one place to another with their thin shoulders slumped in hopelessness. "I think we have all the information we need," he said quietly. "Let's get the hell out of here."

"Why don't you return to the shuttle," Trowa said. "I'm going to hand out the last few pouches, maybe give them to Duo's friend, Hilde."

"Do you think it's safe to go alone?"

"If anyone wanted to hurt us they would have the day we arrived. I'll be careful and shouldn't be more than ten minutes behind you."

Wufei looked at his wrist watch. "If you're not back in fifteen, I'll come looking for you."

The two parted in front of the shuttle terminal, with Trowa, the duffle bag of food slung over his shoulder, headed towards the distribution center they'd visited two days before.

TBC

Author's note: Hey bb, in answer to your comment, you just have to practice a bit more patience. Other than what Heero and Wufei discussed regarding L2 in their first scene together, not everything has been revealed, and it might never be. (Writer's discretion, and all that.) There is, however, a bit more in this chapter for you to chew on concerning the "hole" you described. Remember, we're just about halfway through this story and there's still a lot more to come. To everyone else, reading along, thanks for your comments. I hope to have more up by Sunday night.


	21. Chapter 21

Lies - Between Friends and Lovers

Chapter 20

"I can do this," Relena whispered to herself, trying to buoy up her courage as she finished tying off the end of her make-shift rope. Having pulled the last knot as tightly as possible, she studied her handiwork and hoped the rope would be strong enough to hold her weight. Her pretense of docilely accepting her ordered confinement convinced Havoc that she could be left unattended, if only for a little while. She had planned her escape from the apartment shortly after overhearing there were Preventers on the colony, but that was yesterday. She now worried that all her efforts might be in vain, that the Preventers had already left the colony; but she refused to give up her one chance of being rescued before she'd even started. The moment the last of her flatmates left the apartment she'd gathered the sheets from off the beds and the few pieces of clothing she could find and tied them end to end, praying the length of her make-shift rope was long enough for her to reach the street below.

With that task finished, she picked up her means of escape and moved as quickly as possible to the kitchen. She wound one end of the fabric line under and around the bottom leg of the defunct oven, then secured it with a double knot. Standing, she looked at her work with a feeling of satisfaction, then took a deep breath to calm her nerves before opening the kitchen window and tossing out the other end of her make-shift rope. She leaned over the windowsill and frowned, discovering the end was shy of the ground by about eight feet. Having no other choice but to proceed, she eased a leg over the sill while tightly gripping the window frame to steady herself as she straddled it.

Looking down once again, four storeys suddenly seemed like a very long way from the ground. Overwhelmed suddenly by a fear of falling, she hesitated and began to doubt whether her desperate plan to escape the building and find the Preventers would work. The sudden loud banging on the locked front door of the apartment ended her moment of indecision. It was now or never. Acting quickly before she could talk herself out of it, Relena swung her other leg over the windowsill, leaving her chest anchored on the ledge. Using one hand to hold her body in place, she frantically flattened out the material pressed over the ledge with the other hand, then firmly brought the window down until the inside latch clicked shut. With the closed window now acting as an extra support, she felt a bit of her confidence return. Holding tightly to her line of escape, she wrapped her legs around it and began to lower herself down towards the ground.

From up above she heard the sound of frantic pounding on the front door. She was running out of time. Unfortunately, she couldn't seem to go any faster. Her arms, unused to supporting her weight, were already trembling from the effort. Descending as quickly as possible, she made it down three levels before a shout came from above her. She looked up just as the windowsill was thrown open and Havoc's head popped into view. Then just as swiftly, and her make-shift rope broke free. With a cry she dropped to the ground, her feet slamming onto the pavement. Pain from the jarring impact shot up her legs. Her body crumpled with the momentum of her fall and before she could catch herself she was sitting on her bottom. Looking up once more, she saw Havoc staring down at her, his eyes wide with disbelief. The moment he turned from the open window she knew he was coming after her and that she had only moments to get up and run or her opportunity to escape L2 was as good as over.

Though her legs and feet were still smarting from the abrupt impact, she scrambled to get up and get moving. Crawling over the rubble-filled alleyway, she moved as if the devil himself was on her heels, frantically wiggling and squirming her way to the street, acquiring more than a few bumps and bruises. After breaking free of the rubbish, she cast a quick glance in both directions, looking for Havoc. Not seeing him, she fled in the direction of the distribution center Rida had pointed out to her shortly after her arrival.

Relena ran with abandon, propelled by a sense of desperate urgency. She ignored the odd stares of those who were out and about that day but became aware of someone yelling something indistinguishable from somewhere behind her. She ignored everything and focused instead on running as fast as she was able. Not used to physically exerting herself for any length of time, she quickly became breathless and weary and frantically pondered the best strategy for eluding someone on foot. She could duck into an alley and hide but that would take away precious time, and she had an idea that time was something she didn't have a lot of if she was to find the Preventers before they left the colony.

After several wrong turns she finally located the distribution center. Coming to a dead stop and breathing heavily, she bent over, holding onto her knees while struggling to catch her breath. When she looked up a moment later to see the entire line of lethargic people, waiting to get their food allotment, looking at her as if she were out of her mind. Though her clothing wasn't up to her own personal standards, they did help her to blend in with everyone else, so she dismissed that as being the reason for the shocked expressions. Then it dawned on her that undernourished people didn't waste precious energy running about. Being both flushed and breathless from her mad dash from her apartment, it was no wonder they were looking at her like she were crazy.

Giving the surrounding area a quick once over, she could see no one who fit the description of a Preventer, so she moved on. She wasn't exactly sure where she was going other than in the opposite direction from the building she'd recently escaped from.

Not knowing the exact time, Relena could only guess it was sometime mid afternoon. She had at least a couple of hours before the lights were dimmed to find the Preventers, and then, God willing, she would be free of L2 and all its misery. The first thing she planned on doing once on board their ship was to ask for something to eat and then inquire if they had a shower she could use. She couldn't imagine, even after scrubbing herself from head to toe, that she would ever feel completely free of the grime and bugs. Sores now dotting her once peaches-and-cream skin had come from bed fleas and lice that had, from what Rida told her, plagued the colony even before the embargo. With no pesticides available, there simply was no way to eradicate the pests.

Spying a woman standing on the next corner, with a child hovering behind her legs, she slowed her step to approach her, stopping several feet short when wary eyes turned her way. "Excuse me," she began, speaking softly. "Do you know where the Preventers are staying?"

"Whaddaya want with them two?" the woman asked, her eyes narrowing with suspicion.

Relena could have cried, having received confirmation that there were indeed Preventers on the colony. She controlled her excitement and kept her appearance calm. Knowing she couldn't tell the woman who she was, thanks to Havoc's warnings, she fabricated a lie that, hopefully, would cause the woman to cooperate. "I want them to carry word to my family that I'm alive."

"A lot of good that'll do ya." The woman replied, her eyes shifting to take in her surroundings, appeared fearful of being caught talking to her. "If yur lookin' to get some of their food, one of um just left the last of it at the food center down the street. The tall man said they were leavin'"

"Can you tell me where he went?" Relena asked in a rush, fearing she was going to be too late.

"Back to his ship, I guess. Shuttle port is two streets down thata way." The woman indicated the direction with her right hand.

Uttering her thanks, Relena turned and ran just as a commotion sounded behind her. Excited shouts of "There she is," could be heard in the not too far distance followed by the sound of running feet. Panic and a rush of adrenaline pushed her into running faster than she ever had before, despite her ill-fitting shoes. She recognized the shuttle port by its familiar arched entrance, standard in all space colonies, and even through she was half a block away, she also spied what appeared to be a tall and slender man nearing its doorway. His hair was short, so she figured he had to be a Preventer. Despite her legs and lungs threatening to give out, hope of her imminent rescue gave her the strength to keep going.

"Stop!" an unfamiliar male voice bellowed from behind. Turning her head, Relena glimpsed a man running no farther than twenty feet behind her, his face a picture of determination as he closed the distance between them.

Though she was at the end of her limited energy, she put everything she had into increasing her speed and getting the attention of the man up ahead, Then, just as she found enough air to call out to him, she tripped, either over her shoes or a crack in the sidewalk, and fell like a single domino, face forward and flat on the ground.

"Got ya!" the man behind her crowed triumphantly as his hand clamped onto her arm and hauled her to her feet in a most ungentlemanly fashion.

"Wait!" Ignoring the man holding her, she cried out in desperation to the plain-clothes man entering the door of the shuttle terminal. He must have heard her because he turned around and looked in her direction. In an instant, despite the distance that separated them, Relena recognized the man and was elated. It was Trowa Barton, a Preventer and former gundam pilot.

They both paused for a fraction of a moment, their eyes meeting across the distance for no more than a moment before Trowa abruptly turned away and continued into the shuttle terminal.

"No wait!" Relena cried out in disbelief as the Preventer opened the door to the building and disappeared inside, the door shutting behind him. Tears of disbelief and frustration welled up in her eyes. "It's me, Relena!"

But it was too late. He was already gone.

"That wasn't so smart, disobeyin' orders like you did," her captor informed her. "You'll probably be docked two days worth of rations for this, which I'll get for catchin' ya," he announced with a grin that showed a mouth full of rotten teeth.

"Please," she gasped, trying to catch her breath and crying openly. Because she'd given her all to reach this point, her attempt to pull her arm out of the man's grasp was both weak and pitiful. "I need to speak with the man that just went into the shuttle terminal."

"Don't think so." The man keeping her from freedom looked to Relena like all the other men on L2; he wore a scraggily beard and was clothed in what resembled rags more than any attire she'd seen before. She estimated him to be in his forties, but she was probably wrong.

"Listen to me," she pleaded. "I'm a person of some influence and means. I'll pay you, give you whatever you want if you'll just let me go and talk to that man before he leaves."

"If yu're so important and have got so much, why the hell are ya still here?" the man questioned as he began to pull her down the street. It was then that Relena saw several more men rushing towards her. Her chance to escape was rapidly diminishing.

"You don't understand," she said as tears of disappointment and frustration refused to be held back any longer. "I can get you out of here, the both of us could be on a shuttle bound for Earth. I just need to talk with him. Please, I beg you."

"'Fraid you're stuck here with the rest of us," Havoc said as he and the other two frowning men approached.

"Why am I here!" she shouted at him, beyond frustrated, hungry and hurting. She suddenly realized that her knees, hands and forearms stung. Looking down, she saw through her tears that blood coming was from the scrapes her unexpected fall had caused. "What purpose does my being here serve, starving and rotting away, when I could be back on earth trying to change things?"

"Who do ya think ya are?" the man holding her arm tightly sneered, anger flashing across his bearded face. "The Queen of the Earth's Sphere? It's been two effin' years that we've been starving. If ya could make the bloody UEC change then why didn't ya do it before?"

Taken aback by the question and the fact that she had actually held the title that man had sarcastically thrown at her, Relena held her tongue, deciding to keep her silence after catching a reproving shake of Havoc's head. She recalled his warning to keep her identity hidden, that the residents of L2 wouldn't look kindly on any politician from earth, the source of all their woes.

"I told you she's not well," Havoc said as an excuse for her behavior while reaching forward to take hold of Relena's other arm. With a sharp glance and nod of his head he indicated to the other man that should let her go, which he did. "I'll take her back to our flat and see that she doesn't cause any more problems."

After a brief discussion and more assurances from Havoc that the woman in his charge would not cause any further trouble, he led her away from the area and retraced the path back to the apartment.

Neither Havoc nor Relena spoke as they walked. She concentrated instead on trying to recall everything about her brief interaction with Trowa Barton. Had he not recognized her when their eyes locked? She thought he had, but the distance between them had been too great to see if there had been any level of recognition in his eyes. Could it be that her appearance had changed so drastically since her arrival that he'd looked right at her and had failed to recognized who she was?

She allowed herself to be pulled along, heartsick about missing her chance to be rescued and stumbling with weariness now and again even though Havoc held her arm tightly. She felt exhausted and numb with disappointment, having been so close to being rescued that she could scarcely come to terms with her failure. What would happen to her now? How long would she be made to suffer?

"Stop feeling sorry for yourself," the bearded man growled as they neared their apartment building.

"I hate this place," she told him, then quickly brushed aside a tear that escaped from out of the corner of her eye.

The man's glare showed not one ounce of sympathy as he replied, "I dare ya to find one person on this colony who wouldn't agree with ya. Do ya think it matters to anyone on earth what we think or that we're bein' starved to death? This blockade is nothin' more than a legal way to kill off an entire colony, and it was ordered by your own precious UEC."

"No!" She protested vehemently, trying to jerk her arm out of his grasp. "That's not how the government works."

The man's chuckle was filled with bitterness. "The proof is in the puddin', lady. Are ya too blind by your own self pity to see the sufferin' around you?"

"Of course not," she replied stiffly. "There's just some misunderstanding here. I'm sure the UEC has no idea how much suffering the embargo is causing. I know shipments of food, care of the Foreign Aide Department, are sent monthly."

"With only enough food and water for three quarters of our remaining population and for only two weeks, not a month," Havoc interjected with a disgusted sneer.

"There's got to be some mistake," she insisted, unable to believe her government could do anything as despicable as to purposely starve innocent men, women and children.

"The big mistake was not fighting back when we could," the man said as he hurried them into the apartment building and roughly pulled Relena up the stairs to their fourth floor apartment. They were both a winded when they walked through the front door, where they were greeted by the same man she'd glimpsed outside the door the day before. He stood from the crate he'd been sitting on and moved to stand in front of her. To Relena, he appeared like every other man on the colony that she'd seen, other than Trowa Barton. He was thin and had a bearded face as well as long hair, which was mousy blond in color and was receding above his forehead. He looked sickly, though his green eyes stared at her with an intensity that reminded her of Heero, indicating the man was focused and had purpose.

"Name's Hal Stockton. I'm the guardian responsible for the welfare of everyone in this district. Yur punishment for ignoring the order ta stay inside and trying to escape will cost you a third of your rations next week."

"No, you can't do that," she rushed to say, knowing how hungry she'd been with a full week of rations. To have that scarce amount of food cut down at all would leave her closer to starving.

"I'll inform the distribution center of the cut in rations."

"Please," she said, stepping forward and hoping to change the man's mind. "You can hardly blame me for wanting to get word to my family that I'm all right, or in trying to escape this wretched place. You would have done the same."

"You don't know nothin', lady," the man said in a weary tone of voice. "I could get off this colony on the ship that brings supplies here almost weekly, but if I did, then who'd make sure the food is given out fairly? Who'd watch out for the women and children? No, I'm a guardian, and here I'll stay, to live or die with the people who can't get off this damned colony."

"A ship comes here once a week?" The news bought back a glimmer of hope to Relena.

The guardian's eyes narrowed. "Pirates," he answered. "A rough group of space marauders. Don't be thinking you can get a ride with them, lady. They've no love for the UEC, and as you're someone who talks for them, you've earned their disgust as well. They'd just as soon space you than to have anything to do with you."

"By any chance did these pirates bring me here?" she asked, trying to gather as much information as possible.

"I just told you they'd rather space you than deal with you, didn't I? Why would they bring you here?"

"To rub my face in it?"

The man shrugged. "You can think what you like, but it doesn't necessarily mean it's so." The guardian then looked up to the man behind her. "See that she stays out of trouble," the guardian ordered.

"I'll do my best," Havoc replied.

The man then left them and Havoc went into the kitchen and opened the cupboard that he'd designated as his own and returned to the living room with a bottle of water. He took several swallows before turning to Relena, his gaze moving downward until he focused on her knees."

"You scraped your knees. You should tend to them."

Now that she had a moment to think about her injuries she realized her knees were hurting. Looking down, she saw that her borrowed pants were torn and bloody from the fall on the street. "I'll need a clean cloth and some water," she said, still assessing the damage.

"You can use yur drinking water, but good luck with the clean cloth," the man answered, capping his own bottle of water before returning to the kitchen and placing it back in his assigned cupboard. "The only cloth we have, including our bedding, is in the alley below." With a sinking heart Relena wondered, and not for the first time, if she was even going to see her brother or her home ever again.

Tbc


	22. Chapter 22

**Lies - Between Friends and Lovers  
Chapter 21**

Heero returned to his office with Wufei's newly emailed report in hand. Closing the door behind him, he crossed the room to sit behind his desk, then spent the next fifteen minutes reading the report. The frown on his face deepened as his comrade's observations of L2 were detailed. Wufei, Trowa and two other Preventers had gone to L2 in search of the marauders following the hunch that the beleaguered colony might be the beneficiary of the raids on freighter shuttles and their stolen goods. It was clear from Wufei's opening statement that he and Trowa had found the people of L2 unable or unwilling to assist them in their investigation. The report also described in detail the atrocious conditions in which he found the colony, of the lack of supplies and emaciated appearance of the inhabitants, suffering the effects of starvation. Wufei also noted that those who had once perpetrated the violence and near anarchy on the colony, the supposed reasons for the embargo, were no longer a concern.

Included in his observations, Wufei spoke of order being established on the colony, overseen by a group of volunteers called The Guardians. Food, what little they had, was being distributed in an orderly manner to all citizens on the colony.

Heero's eyes widened as he read about Wufei's meeting with Hilde Schweibecker, and his belief glance at food packaging that were not marked as coming from the UEC, proof that the marauders were supplying additional and much needed food to the colonists. In his final paragraphs the Chinese agent condemned the UEC government for their lack of humanity, calling for an investigation into the reasons behind the embargo and why L2's citizens were being starved to death with the insufficient amount of food, water and supplies being sent to L1. And last but not least, Wufei demanded an end to the embargo as well as an urgent plea for aid to be sent to the remaining survivors. The pictures he'd sent with his report stood as proof of his words, and to Heero they were as shocking as they were heartbreaking.

Having finished reading the report, the Japanese man set it down on his desk and leaned back in his chair. Closing his eyes, he couldn't help picturing in his mind the conditions of the colony Duo had miraculously survived, as detailed by Wufei. His former lover rarely spoke of his past, though Heero suspected he knew more than most about Duo's unpleasant childhood on the streets. As a child, Duo avoided the constant dangers on the streets of L2 by being a member of a gang of street-savvy children. The loss of most of his gang to a plague, including their leader Solo, the boy Duo revered as his best friend, had been devastating to him. Several times in the past Duo had voiced his opinion that the deadly viral disease, which had killed not only his gang but also a great many of the poor and homeless, had not happened naturally. It was his belief that it had actually been an attack on L2 by the Alliance with the intention of cleansing the streets of a large, undesirable element of that colony, the poor and needy.

Though it was apparent that it brought him pain to speak of it, Duo also told him of another dark time in his life, when a desperate rebel group had murdered the priest and nun who had taken him off the streets when he was bereft of his gang and had educated and loved him. Those two events, more than anything else that had happened to him, had embittered the braided man's memories of his home colony. Duo had vowed at the end of the wars to never again set foot on his former colony. After reading Wufei's report, Heero could only feel relief that the only person he'd ever loved had apparently kept his promise, and by doing so it had kept him from sharing the fate of his former fellow citizens.

Wufei's hunch that someone was breaking through the blockade and delivering food to the starving colony had gotten the Preventer past the blockade and into L2, but his fellow agent had crossed the line by stating that whoever these marauders were they should be commended for their actions instead of being sought out for breaking the law. After reading his account of L2, Heero was of a mind to agree, but he was almost certain that a similar opinion would not be shared by their superiors.

Contemplating the report for another fifteen minutes, Heero made up his mind as to his next step. It was clear the investigation into Relena's disappearance was at a dead end. No one had come forward with any legitimate information regarding her disappearance or fate. With nothing to go on, he and his team were doing nothing at this point other than waiting for a break in the case. His energies would be better utilized on the other case he'd been given. The time had come for him to return to space and join Wufei in his investigation of the marauders. A sudden surge of excitement filled him at the thought. Space. Home. Though earth was beautiful and the place he had chosen to live, there was just something about the colonies that felt... familiar, comfortable.

Having made that decision, his mind turned to the marauders. He hit the space bar of his computer to activate it and began a search for Duo Maxwell. The investigator he'd become couldn't help but link the supposed humanitarian aid to the people of L2 to his former lover. Duo had put his life on the line countless times for his colony, fighting so that no one else would have to suffer as he had. It only made sense that if L2 did indeed have a real life Robin Hood, Duo Maxwell would definitely fit the bill.

He logged onto an entertainment site, featuring the celebrities and events in New York City. The added search within the site brought up the most recent photographs of Duo with a very attractive young woman on his arm, a different one from the woman coming out of his apartment. The headlines stated that the picture had been taken during their attendance at the opening of a movie in New York. Both were dressed handsomely for the evening with Duo in a black suit and the woman in a knee-length, soft green floral, gossamer dress with a neckline plunging well below her breasts. Heero had to wonder if she used double stick tape to keep the flimsy material in place. The celebrity darlings freely gave the photographers just what they desired, toothy smiles and perfect poses, no doubt giving the rag magazines and gossip programs something to gnaw on for a couple of days.

The picture made Heero's stomach turn sour, but he refused to admit that it was jealousy making him feel that way. He pulled his eyes away from the photograph, moving on to the brief article beneath it. From those few words he learned that the picture was taken the night before, which meant that Duo was still in New York, not in space. Heero's jealousy eased somewhat, replaced by a feeling of relief. Duo's very public appearances continued to keep him off the suspect list.

He was tempted to call the American, to somehow bridge the distance between them. But his uncertainty about how he would be received made him pause. Thinking over his options, he opened his private email and typed up what he hoped was a friendly overture to the other man. After greeting his former lover and asking about his welfare, he told Duo he was heading into space, probably stopping by Quatre and Trowa's residence, hoping for a chance to mend their somewhat strained relationship. He also mentioned that he'd seen his picture on the internet and that he looked very handsome in his black suit, hoping to convey to Duo his continued interest. He ended his message by stating that he hoped to hear from Duo soon, and that he would try contacting him again after reaching L4.

Shutting down his laptop, Heero hoped he hadn't come across as too anxious in his email. Yes, he wanted Duo back in his life, and in his bed if that was possible, but he didn't want to scare him off. He had to go about winning Duo back slowly, honestly and in proving to the other man that he would never, ever hurt him again. If Duo decided that a relationship between them was impossible, then he'd accept his decision and move on, eventually.

Closing the lid to his laptop and putting it in its case, Heero tried to put all thoughts of Duo to the back of his mind. He was going to have to face Director Une in a few moments and convince her to let him go into space and leave the investigation of Relena's disappearance in Milliardo and Noin's hands. That his boss was going to be unhappy with him was an understatement, but he'd never failed yet in convincing her to let him have his way when logic was on his side.

_____________

Taylor Mann sat in the darkened movie theater surrounded by the beautiful, the rich and influential. He marveled, and not for the first nor last time, at his good fortune. He was living a life far beyond the dreams of any L2 citizen, snatched from a life full of struggle and drudgery by mere coincidence, a fluke of nature, or was it? He was always quick to remind himself that, like everything else in his life, his present circumstances hadn't come easy. There had been pain and suffering, all of which he'd endured when presented with the golden, dangling carrot, namely: a life away from L2, a shit load of money, and the chance to make a difference.

His position was a precarious one. A slip, a wrong move, any deviation from the role he was playing could bring dire consequences, not just to him, but to his benefactor, his friend. He would do everything in his power to keep that from happening. He'd come a long way in the last couple of years, from being a nobody amongst a colony of nobodies to hobnobbing with the planet's most rich and famous people, some of whom he'd had the pleasure of taking to his bed. The memory of those delectable, though usually emotionally fragile women, brought a smile to his face. His benefactor didn't mind him seeking out the more carnal pleasures his current position presented, as long as he was discrete, took the proper precautions, and didn't willfully hurt those he slept with. There had been an added stipulation in the agreement he'd made, and it only made sense given the circumstances: he was not to commit himself to any one person, nor make any business decision, large or small. Stalling and making excuses had been a big part of his role, along with deception and a sort of slight of hand.

He had no regrets at giving up his own identity and taking on another. The life he'd known before meeting his benefactor was, upon reflection, no life at all. Since the movie he was watching was more or less a mediocre love story, he had the opportunity to think back on the moment his life had changed dramatically and for the better.

A stranger, a woman with a cap pulled low over her forehead, had sought him out in the bar he frequented whenever he had money for a beer. She didn't introduce herself at first, but asked him if he would be interested in a new life, leaving L2 and doing something important. He'd asked the stranger what he had to do, wary of someone offering something for nothing. His wariness came naturally, a result of living on the street and having seen others disappear when tempted by a too-good-to-be-true line.

He agreed to follow the mysterious woman to the shuttle port, to an unobtrusive looking shuttle docked at the port. Once inside the main cabin, the woman removed the billed cap covering her head and face and introduced herself simply as Hilde. She then turned and introduced him the a young man entering the cabin. He knew at first sight who he was dealing with. He'd often been told that he somewhat resembled the well-known, former L2 citizen, but he didn't put much stock in those comments until that moment when he came fact to face with Duo Maxwell. After being sworn to secrecy, an unbelievable plan had been laid out before him, along with a promised pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. With nothing much to lose, he readily agreed and made a deal with the man.

Whisked away from his less than spectacular existence, he soon found himself on another colony, where he underwent numerous surgeries to alter his appearance, had his long, usually unkempt hair dyed and styled, and was fitted for contacts to change the color of his eyes. He took elocution lessons to help him to mimic his benefactor's speech and voice, and spent countless hours watching videos of the man in order to move and respond as he did. The process was painstaking, but within four months he'd learned to almost flawlessly mimic the former gundam pilot turned fashion model.

At the end of that period of transformation, he stood before a group of three men - one of which was his now look-alike benefactor and the other two were masked to protect their identities. He was asked to interact, in his new role, with several people he'd become acquainted with during his stay, while the three stood to the back of the room and observed him. After a half hour of joking around he received a nod of approval and his life began anew.

He stifled a yawn as the movie droned on. His job had its ups and downs, and this movie certainly fit into the last category. Then as a head come to rest on his shoulder, he decided that maybe the evening wouldn't be a total loss after all. That thought was sobered by the constant reminder that should his deception ever be discovered, it would have dire circumstances to both himself and his benefactor, now his friend. But he wasn't going to worry about that now. He knew his role inside and out and played it well, having fooled men, women and cameras of all types. There was no doubt about it, Taylor Mann, former street urchin from L2, was living on top of the world and having the time of his life.

TBC


	23. Chapter 23

**Lies - Between Friends and Lovers  
CHAPTER 22**

Rubbing his overly tired and burning eyes, Quatre Winner yawned as he pushed his chair away from the desk he'd been sitting at for hours. It was late and he should be in bed, sound asleep. He'd avoided going upstairs on purpose because his bed seemed too big and lonely without his lover there to share it with him.

He and Trowa had the good fortune of not being separated very often, but that didn't lessen the ache he felt whenever the necessity for one of them to be away from home couldn't be avoided, like now. He missed Trowa, desperately. But he was a man and could suck it up and endure the few days his lover would be gone. A faint smile came to his lips, thinking about how warmly he'd welcome Trowa home, showing his lover just how much he'd been missed.

Checking his watch, he noted the late hour just as his stomach rumbled. Now that he was paying attention to what his body was saying, he was acutely aware of his hunger. Sleep would elude him, he'd learned from experience, unless he filled the emptiness he'd ignored for the past several hours.

He rose from his chair and absently rubbed his sore back as he crossed the room. The only sound in the house was his soft footfalls and the brush of his clothing as he made his way to the kitchen where a midnight snack awaited him. He was searching through the contents of the refrigerator, looking for the Spanish olives, when the sound of someone clearing their throat startled him, making him jump. He caught sight of his unannounced yet expected guest standing in the doorway of the kitchen, black hat in hand. Motioning to the package of deli-meat, mayonnaise and mustard in his arms and asked with a sly grin. "Hungry?"

"What are you doing up so late?" Duo asked, leaning casually against the doorframe. The braided man was devastatingly handsome dressed all in black, Quatre thought, and if he wasn't so deeply in love with Trowa he'd might be tempted to try and seduce his best friend. He no longer felt guilty about such thoughts because he and Trowa had talked at length about Duo after they'd brought him home and helped him recover from his Heero-induced injuries. Trowa had likewise confessed to his own attraction to Duo, especially after helping nurse him back to health. They came to a joint consensus, however, not to do anything about their burgeoning sexual interest in their friend. Back then, Duo had been devastated by the beating he'd received from Heero, and he needed them for support, as allies and best friends, definitely not as lovers. He and Trowa had talked the whole attraction to Duo business over, and decided their reaction to the American wasn't because they felt differently about each other, but that it was a normal response to Duo's unusual attractiveness and sex appeal.

Duo's sexual appeal was undeniable, and his fast rising and lucrative career stood as proof of that. His fan base spanned a board spectrum of admirers, from young girls lining up and screaming at the sight of him to movie stars and famous singers wanting to be seen with him, as well as mature women throwing their underwear at his feet and doing all sorts of embarrassing things to get the man's attention. Young men clamored to buy the clothing he modeled and the cologne he wore, and gay men drooled over his pictures and wrote him poems on the internet. Over time, Quatre had gotten used to other people's reaction to his friend, and found he still was not impervious to Duo Maxwell's charms. If he were to confess what he was feeling at that moment, it was a rush of excitement and the rise of his libido at seeing a living, breathing wet dream standing just ten feet away.

Clearing his throat, he answered his friend's question. "Just getting a snack before bed." He hoped his cheeks weren't too flushed because then Duo might be able to guess, and then would be angry, about what he'd been thinking.

"I could eat," Duo answered. He then straightened and entered the room, placing his cap on the table before moving to take Quatre's place at the refrigerator door. Bending over, he began to search for lettuce, onions and tomatoes to make his sandwich complete.

"You know, you really shouldn't sneak up on me like that," Quatre admonished with a slight grin while opening the loaf of bread. "You'll give me a heart attack one day."

"Fat chance of that," the other chuckled. "Besides, I purposely let you know I was standing in the doorway?"

"It would have been nice to know you were in the house."

"I thought you'd be asleep." Duo set the produce onto the table and immediately began to take the pre-washed lettuce out of the plastic package and tear it into pieces.

The blond shrugged. "Well, you know what it's like for me without Trowa here."

"I'd offer to be your teddy bear, but I'd like to survive my next meeting with your lover."

"Don't tempt me," Quatre muttered beneath his breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing. I'm just tired, and hungry."

"By the way, where is Trowa?"

"With Wufei, on L2."

There was a pause before Quatre looked up to see Duo frowning at him. "What are they doing there?"

"They're officially looking for evidence that the marauders are unloading their newly acquired cargo on the colony. I'm fairly certain Wufei isn't going to like what he sees on L2 and that the evidence he seeks will continue to elude him."

"I see."

Reaching over to touch his friend's hand, Quatre said in a comforting yet confident tone, "Don't worry, Duo. It'll be fine."

The braided man placed a generous mound of lunch meat on each piece of bread laid out before him. "Seems the Preventers are finally taking this seriously, sending out their finest."

"They are up against the best, aren't they? They just don't know it."

"We can't stop," Duo said, pausing in his task to look his friend in the eye.

With a matching determined gaze he answered, "No, we can't. Our cause is too important."

"Listen, Quat, I'm cutting my visit short, heading planet side after this snack," Duo said, picking up a tomato and a knife and began the process of cutting several slices. "I got an email from Heero. He's on his way here, for what he didn't say other than he hopes to patch things up with you and Trowa."

"He's probably on his way up to join Wufei and his investigation." An excited light sparked within the blond's blue eyes. "That means Trowa will be home soon."

Duo chuckled. "You two are pretty pathetic. Love sick fools."

"You're just jealous," the blond retorted.

After a brief pause, Duo answered with a heavy sigh, "Yeah, I guess I am."

"Duo..."

The braided man waved his hand in dismissal. "Ah, forget it, Quat. I'm just in a mood."

They finished making the sandwiches and poured a glass of milk for each of them before sitting down at the table to eat. "So you had an email from Heero?"

"Yeah, just a short while ago," Duo answered after swallowing a mouthful. "And if I'm not mistaken, he was making friendly with me. He mentioned that he'd seen a picture of me at a movie premiere last night and said I looked "very handsome", if you can believe that. He's obviously keeping track of my movements."

"Do you think he regards you as a suspect?"

The man in black shrugged. "Probably, knowing how his mind works. But I've covered my ass well."

Quatre leaned back to get a good look at the other man's shapely posterior. "And very well, too."

"Quatre." There was a tone of warning in the braided man's growl. Duo always got upset whenever he or Trowa made even the slightest suggestive comment.

"Sorry," he said, looking ashamed of himself. "I'm only human, Duo."

"You're a lot more than "human", you're Trowa's lover, and happy to be so. You make me feel very uncomfortable when you make comments like that."

Quatre sighed. He knew better than to say something like that out loud, but sometimes his sexy friend, without even trying, just got the best of him. Duo was loyal to a fault when it came to his friends, and he, in turn, expected others to be completely loyal in return. Duo had more than once stated that he viewed suggestive comments by him, directed at any one other than Trowa, as a betrayal. "I'm sorry, Duo. You know I'm absolutely devoted to Trowa, that I love him more than life. But I would have to be blind not to notice that you are what Heero aptly described as a very handsome man, and it's hard to not feel an attraction towards you... not that I'd act on it, mind you. Trowa, by the way, feels the same, but then so does your large following of fans. Rest assured that we'll never overstep the bounds of friendship. We know that's what you want from us and not a fantastic tumble between satin sheets."

"You know it gives me the creeps when you say things like that," Duo complained before taking a long drink from his glass of milk.

Quatre's expression was a mixture of puzzlement and hurt. "Why would you feel that way? I'm just being straightforward with you."

"Because you're my friend. I see you as a businessman, Trowa's lover, my best friend, a humanitarian and the smartest son of bitch I know. But as a sexy bed mate? That's just something not even my vivid imagination can conjure up."

Now the blond looked affronted. "Not sexy? I'll have you know that Trowa thinks I'm very sexy, why just last week..."

"Stop!" Duo said loudly, slapping his hands over his ears. "I don't want to hear it."

Quatre grinned suddenly. "Duo, you are a prude. When did this happen?"

The man in black blushed. "I'm not a prude. I'm just not comfortable hearing about my best friends' more intimate moments in the bedroom. That should be private."

"I agree," the blond said, though he wasn't able to stop smiling. "But I still think you're a prude."

The violet eyes narrowed in warning. "Change the subject."

Quatre snickered as he took a bite of his sandwich. After chewing it several times, he swallowed and asked, "So... do you want to tell me about this meeting you had with Heero? You mentioned that you talked, but I want details."

The braided man gave him an insouciant shrug, but Quatre became suspicious about what was going on when his friend didn't look anywhere but at him as he answered his query, "He apologized, explaining that his violent outburst was cause by the aftereffects of the Zero system, pretty much like a flashback. Because we'd been fighting so much, it evidently triggered something in Heero's mind that told him I was his enemy, which caused him to lash out at me. I accepted his explanation and apology, and that's pretty much all there is to it."

"I don't think so," Quatre said, peering at his friend as if he were reading his mind. "I can tell there's more to it than that. He emailed you, after all."

"Quat, please." Duo looked at him pleadingly, obviously not wanting to discuss the subject further.

"Out with it, Duo. Tell me what happened."

The man in black leaned back into his chair and heaved a surrendering sigh. "It's still there, Quat. That feeling. I honestly thought I was over him, but just the sight of him standing in the hallway of my building had me almost passing out because my heart was beating so fast."

"You still love him," Quatre stated with a worried frown. Duo didn't answer, but the heavy silence in the room did that for him. "Oh, Duo."

"I know. It's stupid. I'm stupid to still feel this way, but I can't help it."

"And Heero, how does he feel?"

"I think he still feels something for me also. Why else would he want to maintain contact?"

The frown on the blond's face deepened as he considered the situation. "This isn't good. You can't afford to let Heero get too close. He's smart, acutely observant and quick to size up a situation. We can't have him snooping around in your life right now."

"Don't you think I know that!" Duo stood abruptly from his chair, agitated. "Damn, this is so fucked up."

"No it's not." Quatre stood and went to his friend. "Do you want him back in your life, Duo? Can you trust him after what happened between the two of you?"

"I... I don't know," the visibly upset man answered. "My heart is telling me one thing while my brain is saying something completely different."

Hugging his friend, Quatre whispered into his ear. "Just because the timing is off, doesn't mean it can't work. We're nearing the end of our joint venture, Duo. You'll be able to get back to your life and live it anyway you choose. If you want Heero back and feel like you can trust him, then make it happen."

"You really think that's possible?" The uncertainty in Duo's voice brought back memories of the teenage boy, severely beaten by the one person he trusted the most.

Pulling back far enough to be able to look into the blue-violet eyes, Quatre offered his friend a reassuring smile. "We've accomplished many things in our lives, Duo, including bringing peace to the colonies and earth. Winning Heero back should be a piece of cake when compared to that accomplishment, especially when he feels the same way about you."

"He does?" Duo looked genuinely surprised. "Did he say something to you?"

The blond man took another step back and put a hand to his chest. "Well, it's not what he said, but what he feels."

A knowing grin slowly began to inch up on Duo's face. He chuckled, "The space heart thing, right?"

A nod of the other's head was his answer.

Impulsively, Duo lunged forward to once again close the distance between himself and his good friend. He hugged the slightly smaller man fiercely, burying his face in the blond hair that smelled clean and fresh despite it being the middle of the night. "You're the best, Quat. You and Trowa. I don't know what I'd have done without you guys."

Quatre hugged the other man just as tightly, his eyes watering from feeling love and gratitude radiating from his friend, his brother. "We're family, Duo. We love you and want you to be happy."

"I am, thanks to you guys. I don't know how I'll ever repay you for not only helping me when I was down, but for also getting me a job that allows me to help others."

Their arms dropped slowly and they each took a step back. "We've talked about this before," Quatre said with a shake of his head. "There is no pay back. All I did was introduce you to my sister, you did everything else. I would never have guessed from that first picture I saw of you, taken after you had been captured during the war, that you were so photogenic."

With a pained grin the braided man answered, "Well, they definitely got that photo on a bad day."

Quatre instantly regretted mentioning the incident that was obviously still painful to the American. "You look tired, Duo. Are you sure you can't stay the night?"

"Nah. If I know Heero at all, he'll be here sometime in the morning. I can't chance a run in with him until I can get my head straight. Besides that, it would blow my cover." A long sigh followed and the American closed his weary eyes. "Damn, I can see him with my eyes closed. That's not good, is it?"

"Depends," Quatre said neutrally. "Is he naked?"

Duo's eyes snapped open. "Geeze, Quat. When did you turn into such a perv?"

The blond laughed and was joined after a moment by his friend. They finished their sandwiches and Duo allowed himself to be talked into catching a quick nap on the sofa before heading back to his ship.

After waking the next morning, taking a shower and getting dressed for a day at the office, Quatre descended the stairs of his home to find that his friend had indeed departed sometime earlier, as silently as he'd arrived the night before.

TBC

Author note: Thanks to everyone reading and reviewing. The biggest thanks of all goes to Louise, who painstakingly goes over my stories and makes them better by pointing out my silly mistakes.


	24. Chapter 24

**Lies - Between Friends and Lovers  
Chapter 23**

Striding through the public terminal, Heero checked his watch and reset it to L4 time. It was exactly half past seven a.m. He'd made good time getting to L2 but hadn't slept well -- he never did on public shuttles. The terminal was busy with the shuffle of a large number of people coming and going from the colony. That wasn't what bothered him. It was the close contact, the constant jostling and evading that came with the territory that set his nerves on edge. He was never one to let others get too close to him, to touch him in a casual or familiar manner. There remained only a small number of people he felt comfortable enough with to allow them to breach his defenses, his comfort zone, and he was on his way to see two of them at that very moment.

Adjusting the strap of his laptop carrier on his shoulder, he grabbed his suitcase from the luggage turnstile and exited the building as quickly as he could, eager to be free of the jostling crowd. Standing at the curbside, he hailed a taxi cab and once one had been secured, he gave the driver the address to the Winner Family Corporate building.

The drive was relatively short but took longer than expected, given the heavy morning rush hour traffic. Despite the natural hustle and bustle of the business center of the colony, the drivers on the well-maintained thoroughfare seemed unusually law abiding and polite. Heero thought the small vehicles and mini trucks that ran on energy cells, limited to no more than 35 mph, might be the reason for the calm pace, so unlike other cities he'd lived and worked in.

Having arrived at his destination at eight fifteen, he paid the rather steep cab fair without complaint, knowing that everything on L4 was pricey. The driver retrieved his suitcase from the back trunk and set it on the curb before returning to his cab, brusquely wishing Heero a good day.

Looking up, he took a moment to study the tall white building that Quatre's family had owned and operated their business from since first pioneering the space colony in the year AC 15. The building was in immaculate condition, despite the passage of time; and why not? With no direct sunlight, wind or rain to wear away at the structure, all but a few of the original structures on the colony remained intact and fully functional.

He entered the spacious lobby and found it busy but, thankfully, not overly crowded. The security desk sat at the far end of the lobby stood between him and the elevator doors that would take him to the top floor where he knew Quatre's office was located. Without pausing he approached the desk and the four men wearing white shirts, blue blazers and various colored neckties. Though they appeared to be casually talking amongst themselves, Heero was aware that each of them had taken note of his approach then shifted their gazes to other parts of the lobby.

Stepping up to the desk, he announced himself. "Heero Yuy to see Quatre Winner."

"Is Mr. Winner expecting you?" the man seated behind the desk asked, glancing at the computer screen in front of him before turning his attention back to Heero. "I don't see your name on the appointment calendar."

"We're friends. I'm afraid my visit is somewhat of a surprise as well as a personal one."

"I'm sorry, but you'll need to make an appointment."

Heero had been afraid of this. He had hoped to greet his former comrade as a friend before getting down to any official business. If Winner security remained stubborn, he would have to resort to pulling out his Preventer ID and state he was on official business. "Look, if you'll just contact my friend's secretary, she can tell him I'm down here. I assure you, he'll want to see me."

The men standing around the man seated at the desk gave him a look of disbelief. "I'll email Miss Mustafah with your request if you'd care to wait a few minutes."

"Thank you." He tried very hard not to look calm and patient, reminding himself that these men were not trying to irritate him, they were only doing their job.

Two minutes later the man in the chair looked up, a slight hint of surprise on his face. "Mr. Winner would like you to come up immediately. He's located on the twenty-first floor. Tell Mr. Ashshad, our security person at the elevator, that you're to be taken to Mr. Winner's office."

"Mr. Ashshad," Heero repeated with a nod, then promptly moved around the desk and proceeded to the elevator. Reaching it, he pushed the up button and waited. He stood facing the polished metal doors, seeing in its reflection the curious eyes of the security men on his back. He looked up to see the countdown of numbers, ignoring the men behind him as much as possible. He was relieved when at last the elevator opened to admit him as well as three other people who were going "up".

Subtle, Middle Eastern sounding music was softly playing in the elevator's speakers. It was different from any version of elevator music he'd ever heard before but he found it not at all unpleasant. The music continued as the elevator stopped at the tenth floor, and then again at the eighteenth, letting off the other passengers. Heero found his toe tapping to the lively beat of the music a moment before the double doors opened. He was immediately greeted by a dark skinned man who looked like one of the Maguanacs Quatre had worked with during the first war. The tall and large man with brown eyes and dark hair gave him a questioning look, effectively blocking his exit from the elevator by merely standing in front of the open door.

"Are you Mr. Ashshad?" Heero asked.

"I am." The man's voice was deep and menacing.

"I'm here to see Quatre Winner."

The man took a long moment to scrutinize him from head to toe. "I'll need to search you. Are you carrying any concealed weapons?"

"I'm a Preventer. I've got my gun in a shoulder holster and I carry a knife in my boot," he replied honestly. "My ID is in the left inside pocket of my jacket." Holding up his hands, he stood perfectly still and rigid while the man reached inside his black leather jacket and searched the indicated pocket. Upon finding the wallet, he opened it to reveal his Preventer badge. After inspecting the badge, the large man then turned his attention back to Heero, studying him just as closely.

"Former gundam pilot?" Ashshad asked, a thick black eyebrow rising.

"Yes."

"Very well. Come with me."

With the security guard only half a step in front of him, Heero dutifully followed while taking in the surroundings, which mainly consisted of multiple linking hallways, countless doors and several aquariums built within the walls and containing colorful fish swimming in pristine-clear water. At last they approached an open doorway, and as they turned into it, Heero could see it was an outer office with a woman of Middle Eastern descent sitting behind a very clutter-free desk. She was slender, Heero noted, and when she looked up from her work at their entrance, he could see she had impressively large, dark eyes framed with black eyelashes. The smile that greeted them was tempered, yet brilliantly white against the backdrop of a dark complexion.

"Mr Yuy?" she asked, to which Heero nodded his head. "Mr. Winner is waiting for you." She pointed to the closed door on her left.

"Thank you." Without further ado, Heero left both Winner employees behind as he proceeded to the door, swallowing down the sudden feeling of anxiety that came with seeing Quatre again.

His anxiety, however, melted away the moment he entered the executive office and located the blond man. Quatre was all smiles as he turned and moved away from the window he had been peering out of and crossed the room to warmly embrace his former comrade in arms.

"Heero. This is a welcome surprise."

"I'm sorry I didn't give any advance notice of my arrival, but I decided at the last minute to come to space and join Wufei and Trowa on their case. Have you heard from them?"

"No," the blond shook his head. "But I hope to soon."

Heero took a brief moment to note the changes the last five years had brought to the Winner heir. Quatre's blond hair was cut short and styled to fit the business environment that encompassed his life. His once boyish face had thinned and elongated, giving him the look of man in his early twenties. His large blue eyes no longer dominated his facial features, though they still shined and openly displayed a variety of emotions. He was a handsome man, Heero thought, and had an aura of confidence that came with successfully shouldering responsibility.

"Have I changed that much?" Quatre asked with a teasing grin, flashing perfectly straight and gleaming white teeth.

"Yes, and no." Heero replied with a smile. "I was just remembering how you looked during the war and noting the changes."

"Well, I suppose we've all changed. You're no exception, Heero." The blond head tilted slightly as Quatre studied his guest thoughtfully for a moment. "Although you still radiate strength and confidence and you're driven, aren't you?" The grin came back with a mischievous glint in the blue eyes. "Then again, other than physically, maybe you haven't changed all that much. Those were the very traits I admired in you during the war and tried to emulate."

Heero sighed, not wanting to spend precious time dwelling on the past. Yet his purpose for coming to L4 had not only been to join his fellow Preventers, but to convince Quatre that he had changed. To do that, he would pretty much talk about anything the other man wanted to in order to mend broken fences. In order to have a chance of even approaching Duo, as a friend or lover, he sensed he would have to win his best friend's approval first.

Quatre motioned to the chairs in front of his impressive desk. "Come. Let's sit. Or are you hungry? We could go out and have breakfast or I could have something sent up here, and frankly, it's much easier to eat in here than to have a group of large bodyguards lurking over us while we eat."

"You require constant security?" Heero asked, becoming concerned.

"There have been attempts in the past to abduct me, either for ransom or revenge. Rashid isn't taking any more chances and has his men taking turns guarding me during the workday. At night I'm on my own, though I've got more than adequate security at home." The blond grinned at the last part and his eyes sparkled with myrth.

"Yes, Trowa is more than sufficient in the role of bodyguard, not to mention the fact that you're capable of protecting yourself."

Quatre chuckled. "Yes, but two former gundam pilots are better than one. Now, about breakfast?"

"Order in," Heero decided. It would be much easier to speak with Quatre about personal matters in private rather than in a restaurant.

"Any preferences?"

"Pancakes." It had been years since Heero had that particular breakfast item, one of Duo's favorites, if he remembered right. The memory of sitting in a dingy hotel room with Duo, the two of them sharing a large breakfast of pancakes, came back to him. Duo had made a show of licking the warm and sticky golden syrup off his finger tips, which led to something other than eating breakfast and triggered the beginnings of yet another warm memory.

While being caught up in thoughts of the past, Quatre had gone to the intercom at his desk and was in the process of requesting his secretary order a generous breakfast for two to be sent up. When he finished, he looked back to his guest and gave him a satisfied grin, showing his pearly teeth again. "Twenty minutes tops," he said, obviously referring to the food's delivery. "Pippo, the manager, knows me well, and with the restaurant being just down the block, delivery is very prompt."

Moving to the chair Quatre had pointed him to, Heero sat down after set his luggage on the floor. The blond moved the chair opposite him instead of the one behind his desk, lending a more intimate air to their meeting rather than being stiff and formal, as he'd feared. The blond's eyes met his own and Heero sensed he had the other man's complete attention.

"How are you, Heero? I understand you've spoken to Duo?"

"Yes," he replied. The guilt that lingered over his inexcusable actions years early made it impossible for him to return the blond man's gaze for more than a moment. "I've apologized for my past actions, for hurting him. It's something I should have done years ago."

"And he accepted your apology." There was no question in Quatre's voice, but a statement of what he already knew to be true. It was obvious Duo and Quatre had talked the situation over.

"That's what he said."

"Do you believe him?"

Surprised by the question, Heero overcame his feelings of guilt and lifted his eyes to see if he could tell by Quatre's expression what he was getting at. "I've never known Duo to lie before. Do you think he would say he's forgiven me if he really hasn't?"

With a slight shrug of one shoulder the blond answered, "It's not for me to say one way or the other, Heero."

The astute man sitting across from him had, without much effort, begun to make him question his belief in Duo's sincerity. "I don't understand what you're trying to accomplish with your line of questioning. Are you purposely leading me to believe that Duo hasn't forgiven me?"

With a grin and a dismissive flip of his hand, Quatre answered, "No. Not at all. If Duo said he accepted your apology, then I only wished to know if you truly believed him. After all, you caused him a great amount of pain, Heero. Something like that is pretty hard to get beyond."

"You're right," the Preventer conceded. "I don't know why or how he can forgive me, but I'm grateful that he has."

Quatre leaned forward with his hand pressed against the front of his shirt, just over his heart. "Your feelings for Duo remain so strong," he said with a knowing look in his eyes. "Do you still love him, Heero?"

The dark haired man frowned. "Quit reading me, Winner. It's making me uncomfortable."

"I'm sorry," the blond said as he leaned back into his chair. "But your emotions peaked for a moment and I couldn't help but sense them." With a look of curiosity he added, "Even after all the time that has passed, you're still in love with him, aren't you?"

Heero looked away from his former comrade and his discerning gaze, uncomfortable speaking about the feelings he'd kept so close to his heart for five long years. "I've tried to move on," he said in a tight voice as he struggled internally to clamp down on his emotions in order to maintain some dignity. "After the... incident I threw myself into therapy and work. After a time I even tried several times, unsuccessfully, I might add, to establish a relationship with men I'd met over the years. No one has come close to filling the void caused by Duo's absence in my life. I'm not enough of a fool to believe that he'll want me back as a lover, but I can't help feeling the way I do. Ever since I spoke to him at his apartment in New York, I've found myself thinking about him before I go to sleep at night and during those first quiet moments in the morning before I begin the day."

"Heero." There was a gentle quality to Quatre's voice and compassion on his face as he spoke his name. "I'm not at liberty to speak freely about what Duo feels regarding this situation. He is my dear friend and I would do everything in my power to help him find the happiness he rightly deserves. With that in mind, I want you to know that your feelings for Duo are not entirely unrequited."

The dark head shot up and Heero's eyes sought out the blond's. "Duo still cares for me?"

Quatre answered with a nod. "He's also tried to move on but hasn't had a successful relationship yet." Then the business executive's face turned serious, his eyes narrowed. "Despite what I've just said, I'd advise you to think carefully before you do anything, Heero. Make sure of what you want and what you're prepared to offer him before you reenter Duo's life. He is his own man now, successful and not dependent on anyone else for his happiness. He's healthy in every respect and has found purpose in his life once more. If you decide to pursue him, as a friend or a lover, I want you to heed my warning." The bright blue eyes boring into his own told Heero that Quatre's warning was deadly serious. He didn't dare look away from the other's gaze as the blond continued. "If you ever hurt Duo again, either physically or in any other manner, you will regret it. Trowa and I care deeply for Duo and we watch his back. He knows he can count on us to be there for him no matter what the circumstance, and that's why I'm giving you fair warning, so you'll know what you're up against should things get ugly again."

The long moment that followed Quatre's warning stretched out in silence as the two men contemplated each other. Heero was trying to absorb everything the blond man had said. Though he was excited at the prospect of Duo feeling something for him other than hate or fear, he couldn't help but think that the issued warning to not hurt Duo was justly deserved and obviously heartfelt. Knowing Quatre and Trowa could be ruthless when they set out to accomplish something, he'd be a fool to not take the warning seriously.

Combing his fingers through his thick, coarse hair, Heero considered further Quatre's statement. What did he want from Duo, and what did he have to offer him? Without thinking further, he had his answer: He wanted Duo to love him again and to become a significant part of his life. He craved for Duo to touch him with the tenderness he'd remembered sharing with the teenage boy he'd fallen in love with. He wanted to hold Duo, to make love to him, but aside from what he wanted, what did he have to offer the famous model? His heart, along with his body, life and soul. He'd give Duo everything if only the other man could find it in his heart to love him again.

Suddenly, Heero felt hopeful and rejuvenated. Quatre, with his warnings and questions had, strangely enough, given him focus; something he had lacked concerning this otherwise confounding problem. He now understood better what he wanted and that he was willing to do whatever he had to in order to win Duo back. A smile of gratitude formed as he looked at the blond.

"I appreciate you speaking frankly, Quatre, but unlike five years ago, I have control of myself now and have no intention of hurting Duo, especially physically. And if I ever hurt his feelings, it won't be intentionally."

Quatre maintained a mantle of seriousness as he replied, "Did you have any prior intentions of hurting him on that day you nearly beat him to death?"

Inwardly, Heero cringed, recalling in an instant the memory of Duo's bloody and damaged face as he lay unconscious on the floor of their apartment. Looking away in shame, his hands clenched in fists, he answered in a low voice. "No. I was angry but I never wanted to hurt him like that. It was the lingering effects of the Zero system. Our fighting had escalated and Duo was yelling and in my face. The only thing I can recall of what happened next was a white void and a hauntingly familiar voice in my head telling me that my enemy was before me. I lashed out, but wasn't truly cognizant of what I was doing until it was over and Duo was on the floor, bloody and unconscious."

Heero's emotions, suppressed for so long, came rushing to the surface. In a choked voice he continued. "It took me several moments to recall where I was and that something had happened. Only then did I feel the ache in my hands. I looked down at them and saw that they were covered with blood and I realized that it wasn't mine, but Duo's." His breath hitched as he struggled to reign in his emotions as he envisioned once again the result of his actions against his lover. Covering his face with his hands he continued, haltingly. "I thought I'd killed him. He lay so still on the floor, his face covered in blood and beaten beyond recognition. I... I don't remember much else, but I panicked, afraid of having another episode, and ran out of there, moving as fast as I could in order to get away from my worst nightmare."

He was grateful when Quatre said nothing more for a time, allowing him to collect himself. When he felt more in control, he continued once again. "Une heard about the incident and refused to let me become a full-fledged member of the Preventers until I'd undergone a full psychological examination. For over a year I met with the same psychologist who had treated Zechs Marquis. He'd already learned about the influence of the Zero system while treating Zechs, and with that knowledge he helped me build up a mental barrier against Zero's influence until it finally lessened." Deep blue eyes met Quatre's unwavering gaze. "I'm no longer under Zero's influence. It's gone, and so is any threat to Duo, no matter how much he gets under my skin."

The blond head nodded thoughtfully. "Then I have your word that you'll never physically harm Duo ever again, no matter what he says or does?"

"Never again. I give you my word of honor."

Quatre sat back into his chair, obviously pondering something. Then slowly the serious expression relaxed and he said with only a slight smile, "Thank you for telling me your side of the story, Heero. I understand better now what happened that day and, as Duo's friend, I forgive you for hurting him. If you can work your way back into his good graces, I won't raise any objections."

Heero felt as if the weight of the world had suddenly been lifted from off his shoulders. He'd no idea that Quatre's forgiveness and acceptance of his feeling for Duo would mean so much to him until it the words had been spoken. "Thank you, Quatre. That means a lot to me."

"Now comes the hard part," the blond man said, leaning forward again. "Convincing Duo to give you another chance, whether it be friendship or something else."

Heero could only nod in response, knowing he had his work cut out for him. Why should Duo take his word that he'd never hurt him again? He would have to prove himself to his former lover somehow, and between his work taking him all over Earth and the space colonies, as well as Duo's busy schedule, convincing the other man to let him into his life again might take some doing.

"Now that we've completed that bit of business, is there another reason for your visit?" the blond asked.

Heero turned his attention back to the other man. "Are things square between us, Quatre?"

The other man gave him a reassuring smile. "Yes, I believe we're good."

"I'm glad," he said, finally relaxing. "Your absence, as well as Trowa's, has been deeply felt."

"I was very angry with you for a long time," Quatre admitted. "But after Duo got his life together I was sorry we were estranged."

A knock on the door announced that their breakfast had arrived, and while they ate their meal they caught each other up on their lives during the past five years. After the meal had been consumed and cleared away, Heero looked at the renowned executive and prepared to broach a completely different topic than those they'd discussed previously.

"In answer to your earlier question, I do have another motive for this visit. Have you heard anything, rumors or suggestions, about the marauders who have been attacking space freighters and taking their goods?"

"Just what I've read in the papers and reports from my own company officers. Shuttles en route to L4 from the planet as well as our resource satellites, as you probably already know, have been boarded more than a couple of times. And then there are a few things Wufei mentioned."

"Then you know that they use a cloaking device, which allows them to move undetected until they are upon their target."

"Yes, I'd gathered that from our freighter captain's report."

"It's similar or maybe even the same system Duo's gundam was equipped with."

"Or a copycat version," the blond interjected. "You know how impossible it is to keep new technology from being copied. Once one person conceives how such a complicated device works - which isn't hard considering the many articles and books written about it since Deathyscythe's appearance in the war, then it's only a matter of time before some brilliant engineer figures it out for himself."

Getting straight to the point, Heero asked, "Do you think Howard is involved?"

Quatre tilted his head to the side and looked puzzled. "With designing Deathscythe's cloaking device? Absolutely."

"No. I meant with the marauders. He was one of the builders of Deathscythe, following G's design. He could have easily duplicated his work and sold it to the space thieves."

"Howard is an important man within the Sweepers organization. Why would he do such a thing?" Heero noted a slight tone of defensiveness in Quatre's voice.

"It seems to me that Howard often sympathized with the underdogs. I don't know what else you would call L2 if not the underdogs of the space colonies."

The blond man sighed. "You've lost me, Heero. What does L2 have to do with Howard?"

"The contraband the marauders have taken has not shown up on the black market, nor anywhere else that we've been able to track. Wufei came up with the theory that the pirates might be stealing the food and essentials from the freighters and delivering them to L2."

"And why would Howard do that? As far as I know he's not from L2?"

"No, but Duo is. Howard more or less discovered Duo when he stowed away on his ship, and G agreed to train him for his gundam."

"So because he and Duo were once part of a team, you believe that makes him loyal to L2? I think that's a bit of a stretch for a motive, don't you?"

Quatre had a point, Heero conceded, if only to himself. "I don't know what motivates Howard. He is a brilliant mobile suit engineer, and pioneered Tallgeese, the first mobile suit for battle. How did he get from there to building gundams with the mad five and designing stealth capabilities I can't say. The man's an enigma."

"Have you considered the idea that someone from his former team might be involved with the marauders and not Howard? There are a lot of sweepers in space and it takes many men to build something as complex as a gundam, not to mention a cloaking device."

"That's certainly a possibility," Heero conceded. "But I can't rule Howard out until I've had an opportunity to speak with him."

"Have you spoken to Duo about this? Even though they haven't seen each other in quite some time, you know how close the two of them were."

"No, I haven't talked to him directly about this, but Wufei has. Duo indicated that he would send a message to Howard to contact us."

Shaking his head the blond said, "I can't believe Howard would go against the UEC. I think you're looking in the wrong direction."

"Perhaps, but the marauders have been successfully carrying out their raids for two years now. With no leads directing us to who they are or what their motive is, other than profit, we're ready to look into any possibility, even those that seem farfetched. Unfortunately, the Sweepers are a tightknit group with equally tight lips. Other than the Maguanacs, I can't think of a more unified organization." Heero looked the business man straight in the eyes as another thought occurred to him, "Please tell me the Maguanacs aren't involved, Quatre."

"I can assure you that the Maguanacs are definitely not space pirates."

Not having Quatre's gift for reading other's emotions, Heero could only rely on the steadfast gaze of the blond to tell him that the other man was telling the truth.

When a buzz from the intercom sounded, Quatre excused himself and moved to the other side of his desk to answer it. "Your sister Jahailia has arrived for her ten o'clock appointment."

"I hadn't realized it was that late already," Quatre told his secretary. "Tell her I'll be available in a few moments."

Turning to his guest, Quatre wore an expression of apology. "I'm sorry, Heero, but I'm afraid I've got a very busy schedule for the rest of the day. Are you staying over? I'd love to have your company since Trowa is away."

"Thank you," Heero said, rising to his feet and picking up his luggage, ready to take his leave. "But I've already made arrangements. As long as I'm working on this case I'd better limit my socializing, plus I don't want to disturb your home with my constant coming and going."

"I'm sure you wouldn't, but I won't insist you stay with us... this time. When you have a few days off come and visit us, as a friend."

Heero reached out his hand, offering it to the blond. It occurred to him only then that with all the other changes in the other man, Quatre had grown taller. He'd been slow to grow in his youth, as they all had been, but he'd evidently hit a growth spurt after the wars. He was now equal to Heero's height of five feet ten inches. Shorter than Trowa and Duo, but taller than Wufei who was two inches shorter than himself. "I appreciate you taking the time to talk with me, Quatre. It feels good to have some of the unpleasantness of the past put behind us."

"I'm glad you came, Heero. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help you while you're on L4."

The two men parted with a brief embrace before Heero left and made his way to the hotel he'd booked while in flight. Though it wasn't L4's ritziest establishment, it was clean and in a respectable business district within the city and close to the shuttle port.

Less than an hour later, Heero was stripped down to his boxer briefs with a 'Do not disturb' sign on the outside of his hotel room's door. With his gun secured under his pillow, he climbed between the sheets, intending to catch up on some much needed sleep before he began the next step of his investigation.

TBC


	25. Chapter 25

**Lies - Between Friends and Lovers  
****CHAPTER 24**

The wheels of the fast and powerful shuttle eased down onto the tarmac, the slight bump signaling yet another perfect touchdown. Duo sighed wearily, forcing himself to keep his hands on the controls instead of rubbing his tired eyes. He was beat. The thirty-hour trip to space and back had been well worth the effort, but with only a few quick naps to sustain him he was wiped out and ready to sleep the equivalent of the hours he'd been awake.

Considering it was the middle of the night, he had to land in dark, relying solely on the shuttle's guidance system. The screen before him displayed the running beads of blue lights lining both sides of the landing strip that, thanks to Howard's engineering skills, only his ship's computer could detect.

Now safely on the ground, he turned off the cloaking device, and caught sight of a single green glowing stick directing the shuttle towards the dimly lit open doors of the windowless and unimpressive looking hanger. He steered the ship in that direction until stopping several hundred feet short of the hangers entrance, where he cut the engines just as a group of familiar dark-clothed men dashed out of the metal building and quickly hooked the wheels onto a taxiing vehicle. He continued with the shut down checklist while being towed inside the hanger, yawning most of the time and longing for his apartment and bed.

His thoughts wandered, his hands slowing as he wondered what Heero was doing in space. Was he still working on Relena's case, or joining Wufei? A sense of foreboding seeped in as he routinely checked the panels and flipped switches in proper sequence, working from habit. If Heero and Wufei were working together, there was definitely cause for worry. Knowing how thorough both men were, as well as doggedly tenacious, he and his friends just might find themselves in a world of shit if they weren't careful. Despite his concern, a crooked smile twitched at the corners of his lips at the thought of his former lover. If he wasn't mistaken, Heero was trying to make up with him, and it wasn't just for the sake of friendship. If that was indeed the case, he fully intended on giving the other man a run for his money.

The shuttle was now resting within the shelter of the deceptively dilapidated looking building, which just so happened to be outfitted with the most sophisticated security features money could buy. By the time the shuttle hatch was opened and Abdul stuck his bearded face through the open door of the cockpit, the shutdown had been completed.

"Everything good?" the Maguanac asked, his Middle Eastern accent lacing each word.

"Yeah, it's all good. Are you taking me home? I'm dead on my feet."

"Rashid has the helicopter out back, stocked with food, pillows and blankets."

"Damn but I love that guy. Think he'd marry me?"

"He's already married," Abdul chuckled. "And being that you're male, you're also out of contention for a second wife."

Duo bit his lip from almost blurting out, 'Tell that to Quatre and Trowa,' but he held his peace knowing the Maguanac's weren't comfortable with homosexuality, not even in jesting. As a group, they'd more or less accepted the partnership between the two men they devoutly worked. They were obsessively loyal to Master Quatre and respected Trowa as a former gundam pilot and the man who made their golden boy happy. However, they avoided any discussion about the subject as much as humanly possible.

"How's your brood?" Duo decided to change the subject to something more neutral.

With a dramatic roll of his eyes Abdul answered, "Growing and eating me out of house and home."

A jolt of guilt shot through him. "You should be home with your family tonight, not out here on this landing strip in the middle of nowhere."

"We are doing what we must," the older man stated firmly, his tone indicating that he didn't want to argue the point.

"Well," Duo yawned tiredly then finished, "with luck we'll soon see an end to this business."

"Do you really think so?"

"I hope so," was the best he could offer.

"Come on, let's get you home." Home was a three hour ride: two by helicopter and one by way of a sleek black motorcycle that took him into the city and to his apartment building.

The sun was rising over the busy city when he finally pulled into the parking garage. Despite his nap in the helicopter, he felt heavy limbed and light headed. With his only thought centered on making it to his bed, he moved as a sleepwalker to the building's elevator and somehow made it into his apartment. Taylor was there to greet him, dressed rather sloppily in pajamas that looked like they'd been thrown on in a rush. His keen sense of smell detected the lingering scent of expensive French perfume.

"Alone?" Duo asked in a low voice, suddenly alarmed by the possibility of the two of them being seen together.

"Relax, no one's here. I didn't forget your ETA," Taylor answered, bending down to help Duo take off his boots after he'd flopped down onto the sofa. It was a task he often performed for the other man when returned home, always exhausted after having been on the go since his departure.

"Any broken hearts I should know about?" Duo asked around a yawn. He submitted to Taylor's help while peeling off his jacket and tossing it to the coffee table, too tired to care about putting it away.

"Actually, Sheridan Halsey left about an hour ago. She had a very good time last night and wants to get together again soon," Taylor reported while helping Duo back to his feet and steadily aiming him towards the direction of his bedroom. Wearing a devilish grin just thinking about the evening spent with the Broadway actress, he followed behind the exhausted man, automatically picking up each article of clothing Duo discarded as he pulled them off his body while stumbling towards the master bedroom.

Duo stopped suddenly. Looking confused he asked, "Sheridan? What happened to Alana?"

"You told me not to get too attached."

Duo rubbed his aching head, he just wasn't up to lecturing his cohort again about sleeping around. "Too tired. We'll talk when I wake up, all right?" Duo mumbled as he entered his room and made a beeline for his unmade bed. Falling like a brick, face down, now wearing only his boxers, he pulled the top blanket around his body and buried his face into his pillow, settling in for a long and well deserved sleep. The cloying, sweet smell of a woman's perfume invaded his senses, but he was determined not to let it disturb him or his need to sleep. So before he let his exhaustion carry him into a long and much needed slumber, he made a mental note to take Taylor to task for using his bed for his trysts... again.

_______________________

Satisfied that his boss was down and out for a good sleep, Taylor put Duo's black clothing into the hamper, cleaned up the bathroom and then locked the front door to the apartment. Turning, he proceeded to the back of the apartment once again, but this time to the storage closet, or rather, what looked like a storage closet. He opened the door and came face to face with the shelf-lined space with miscellaneous items set on them to cover the closet's real use. Reaching beneath the coat, strategically hanging on the wall to his right, he felt for the metal hook holding the garment up. Finding it, he wrapped his hand around the cool metal and pulled the hook a quarter turn to the right. A click softly sounded and the shelves that appeared permanently attached to the back of the closet popped forward. Grabbing the edge of the wood frame, Taylor pulled the movable wall forward and squeezed himself through the small opening. Once inside the tight space, he switched on the overhead light before reaching behind to re-shut the paneled section, putting the closet back to rights once more. A metal, spiral staircase led him down to his own apartment, conveniently situated directly below Duo's. He moved quickly down the stairs, knowing from experience there were sixteen steps between Duo's apartment and his own.

The hidden staircase joining their apartments had been Duo's idea, his solution to the problem of avoiding being seen by the other residents in the building. When venturing out of the building, while not on the job, he had to don a wig or a hat to cover his long, dyed hair and wear glasses to hide the shape of his eyes. Even after taking those precautions, he tried not to exposed his famous face to the outside world, especially when Duo was in town. So far his efforts, as well as Duo's, seemed to have paid off. No one had caught onto their game as of yet. Not even the management nor the other tenants of the large apartment building had discovered there were two identical looking men living amongst them, only one floor apart and carrying on a deception worthy of a plot for a movie. Hum.. maybe one day, he'd write a book about this unbelievable but oh-so-true adventure, with Duo's permission, of course.

After closing his own closet door, similar to the one upstairs, he lazily scratched his belly as he headed for his own bathroom. After a rather vigorous workout with Sheridan, he was sorely in need of a good, hot shower. Though he had enjoyed himself with the beautiful stage actress, the smell of her perfume was not to his personal taste and needed to be washed off his skin as soon as possible.

Emerging from the steaming room a half hour later, wearing only a thick terrycloth robe, he moved to the desk in his bedroom and took out a pad of yellow lined paper and began to write down from memory everything he could recall about the past thirty some odd hours he'd been on the job. He listed each person he'd interacted with, briefly stated what was said in each conversation, what people wore or did that might be noteworthy. When Duo woke up, refreshed and on top of his game once more, Taylor knew the routine; he'd be grilled, his memory picked apart until the other man felt content that he knew everything that had happened during his absence. The necessary chore took a little over an hour to complete, and by that time Taylor was ready for breakfast.

_______________

Duo awoke to the sound of his phone ringing. Rubbing at his sleep encrusted eyes, he looked at the clock on the bedside table and was unable to read the digital numbers. "Not long enough," he mumbled, knowing from the way he felt that he needed more sleep before he could function properly.

Regardless of his reluctance to rise, he sat up and swung both legs out from under the covers. His legs and feet felt like they were weighed down with gundanium, he thought while yawing widely and scratching the back of his head. All the while the vid phone persistently nagged for him to answer the incoming call.

"All right, already," he growled unhappily. Taking a deep breath, he pushed himself up and sluggishly made his way across the room towards the object of his ire. Once he'd reached his desk, he sat heavily down into his chair. Keeping the view screen off, he hit the connecting button, and with a voice that sounded like he'd been gargling rocks in his sleep he greeted his caller in a curt manner.

"Duo? Is that you?" Heero's voice questioned.

Shit! Quickly running his hands over his face and hair, Duo realized he was anything but presentable. "Yeah, it's me. Just waking up."

There was a pause. "Isn't it one in the afternoon your time?"

"Dunno, can't read the clock."

"Sounds like you had a wild night." There was a hint of disapproval in Heero's voice that caused Duo to wake up further and go on the defensive.

"I wouldn't say wild, but definitely a late one. Besides, what's it to you how I spend my nights?"

That snippy remark was followed by a long pause on Heero's side of the line. "I'm sorry," Heero said, only somewhat contrite but knowing that an apology was necessary when Duo went on the defensive. "You're right. It's none of my business. How are you, Duo?"

"Just peachy," he grouched in reply. This was not exactly the way he'd wanted this conversation to go. He had hoped Heero would make an overture towards mending the distance between them and become acquainted again. It was never going to happen if they began sniping at one another over the phone. Heero had already apologized, it was up to him now to get his head on straight and stop being so touchy about everything.

"Can you turn on the vid screen?"

"I just rolled out of bed, Heero," he moaned, feeling the rough whiskers on his face.

"Nothing I haven't seen before," the other man chuckled. "Besides, I use to like how you looked just after you woke up."

Duo blinked, surprised that Heero would say something so personal this early in their tentative friendship... relationship... whatever the hell this was. Dragging his fingers through his hair once more, Duo hit the button that turned on the screen and camera and watched as Heero's handsome face popped into view. Duo was pleased to see the other man's eyes widen slightly, causing a smile of his own to begin tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"I don't recall seeing you with a morning beard before."

Duo's hand went over his stubbled jaw. "Well, I was kind of a slow bloomer. Started sprouting more facial hair a couple of months after...." He stopped short, not wanting to bring up the day that had changed his life forever.

If Heero felt uncomfortable, he covered it up by saying, "It's a good look on you, but then I can't imagine what wouldn't be."

"Anything in yellow."

"What?"

"I look terrible in yellow and beige. Washes out all my coloring, or so I've been told."

"I don't think I've ever seen you in anything that didn't suit you."

Duo blinked. Unless he was horribly mistaken, Heero Yuy was actually flirting with him. It looked like he wasn't the only one who had changed over the past couple of years. Plastering on a grin, he planted his elbows on his desk, set his face on his upraised hand and leaned towards the camera. "So, where are you?"

"On L4 currently, but I'm about to leave for L1 to continue my investigation."

It was then that Duo noticed that Heero was wearing his Preventer shirt. He was obviously going about official business. "Have you seen Quat and Trowa yet?"

"Just Quatre, at his office this morning. I'm hoping to visit them both after this case is solved."

Not wanting to contemplate the outcome or his own future if Heero should indeed solve the case of the marauders, Duo changed the subject. Leaning closer to the screen and using his most sultry voice he asked, "So is this a personal call or business?"

Heero sat absolutely still for a moment, as if he were frozen in place. He seemed to suddenly collect himself and answered, "Perhaps a bit of both."

Disappointed, Duo shifted to lean back in his chair and folded his arms over his bare chest. "Is this about Relena again?"

"No. You have a verifiable alibi."

Duo frowned. "Of which you thoroughly checked?"

Sighing, Heero shook his head. "I'm simply doing my job, Duo. You've got to understand that I personally don't believe you would harm Relena, but we have to look at anyone with a grudge against her, past and present."

"And you think I have a grudge against her?" Duo sounded as indignant as he felt.

"You didn't hesitate in the past to voice your displeasure whenever she showed up."

Duo was becoming more agitated as the conversation continued, especially now that the past, a particularly unpleasant part of it, was being brought up. This was actually an old argument he'd never thought to have again. "She was stalking you, Heero. How do you think that made me feel? If you'd had the balls to tell her you were with me back then, I'm sure she would have left you... or rather, left us alone."

"She was young, Duo, and infatuated with an ideal, not me."

"Don't give me that pile of shit," the braided man snapped. "You know as well as I do that she fell for you the first time she saw you. Despite your oh-so charming personality back then, she invited you to her birthday party and chased you around the globe and out to space. Damn, what is it about you, Heero, that makes people fall in love with you like that?"

"Like you did?"

Taken aback by Heero's quietly asked question, there was a long pause before Duo answered in a more subdued manner, "Yeah, like me."

"You're right," Heero conceded, hoping to calm the other. "I should have told her about us. I just didn't believe that my having sex with you should concern anyone but the two of us."

Unfortunately, Heero's statement, perhaps poorly worded, struck a sore spot in the braided man. Stung by the insinuation that all they'd had between them during the war was sex, Duo's ire jumped up a few notches. "Was that all I was to you? Just an easy lay?"

"What?" Heero gasped. "No, you know you were anything but that." The blue in Heero's eyes seemed to deepen as he stared at Duo through the vid screen, looking both stunned and hurt by his response. "You were my first everything, Duo. The first person I ever truly trusted to get close to me, the one I learned to call a friend. I experienced all the feelings and emotions with you that had been trained out of me." He took a deep, calming breath before he spoke again, with a voice that had softened considerably. "You were the first person I kissed, and the only person who showed me what it meant to love someone. Each night we spent together during the war made it all the more difficult for me to return to the mission. There were times when I wanted to cast off my responsibilities and training, to forget about the war and remain by your side."

The frosty expression on Duo's face dissolved with that confession, and so did the argument burning on his lips after hearing the words Heero had never fully expressed before. Given that Heero had been so open and honest with him, Duo felt he could do no less, well, to a point at least. "You weren't my first friend or my first kiss, Heero, but you were definitely my 'first' in so many other ways that counted and the one who has haunted my dreams for the past five years."

Heero's returning smile was so warm with sincerity, Duo was sure it could melt the polar ice caps, if not whatever hurt remained in his heart. "Really?" Heero asked. "You've thought about me all this time?"

Duo blushed. "Don't let that slip make your head swell, soldier boy."

That long-forgotten nickname brought back many memories of their time together during the war. Lost in thoughts of the past, the two men stared at each other's face on the screen before them for several long moments, smiling softly.

Finally collecting himself, Heero cleared his throat to change the subject once more. "I saw you on the entertainment news the other day, with that actress."

Duo blinked at the rapid shift of the conversation. It took a moment for him to figure out what Heero was talking about, then he combed his fingers through his hair, trying to recall what Taylor had said after he'd arrived home. He's gone out with Alana but he'd slept Sheridan. Which woman was Heero referring to? He tried to figure the answer to that question out. Maybe it would be better to sidestep around the subject of his social life altogether.

"Oh, yeah, it was a mad house."

"Are you seeing her?"

"Of course I am," Duo shrugged. "I'm her safe chaperone to events like that."

"And the actress I met when Wufei and I knocked at your door?"

Duo lifted his chin in a haughty manner while giving the other man a sly look. "I happen to be quite a ladies man, by reputation at least. What's the matter, Heero? Jealous?"

After thinking about it for a moment, the Japanese man managed to answer the question with a grin. "Perhaps."

The disagreeable conversation they'd engaged in only moments before was suddenly forgotten and Duo leaned forward once more, resting his chin in his hand. "Jealous, huh? That means that you care about me, at least a little bit, right?"

"Maybe more than a little," Heero replied, and couldn't help but feel some satisfaction at the shocked expression on the long-haired man's face.

"Damn, you really have changed," Duo said with wide eyes. "You're actually flirting with me, aren't you? You never used to do that. What happened?"

The smile faded from Heero's face as he replied in a more solemn tone, "I had some help."

Duo felt his own twinge of jealousy, wondering who had gotten beneath Heero's skin in order to get beyond his training. Hell, it had taken him almost two wars to get Heero to admit that he cared for him more than just a fuck buddy. "Who?" he demanded.

Heero ducked his head and in a quiet voice answered, "As I told you before, Une put me into therapy after she'd learned that I'd attacked you. She was justifiably hesitant to trust in my reactions to stressful situations when I could lash out and hurt the one person I cared for the most. I visited with the Preventer's psychiatrist twice a week for well over a year. He not only helped me to relax more, to not take life so seriously, but to break free of the effects of the Zero system that kept telling me that certain people were my enemy and coaxing me to destroy them before they could harm me."

"Like me?" Duo asked, putting together more of a picture of what had actually happened on that dreadful day that he could barely remember. "Did you really see me as your enemy, Heero?"

Raising his head to look into the camera, Heero nodded. "Before that last, fateful day, I don't think so, but I was always afraid that you'd see my flaws and realize I wasn't worth keeping around and then you'd leave me. But during that last fight, Zero definitely identified you as my enemy. Maybe, without being fully cognizant of what was going on, my fears were interpreted by the remnant of Zero, that you were my enemy. I'm sorry, Duo," he continued in an earnest voice. "I'll never be able to express how truly sorry I am for hurting you like I did."

A long stretch of silence passed before the braided man spoke again. "I remember my experience with Zero. Fortunately, it happened only once, but that was enough to make me never want to let that godforsaken system into my head again. Flying Wing Zero, you had to use it in every battle during the last part of the war. I remember all too well that white void, and let me tell you, it scared me shitless because I too saw things I didn't want to. I understand, Heero, and I already forgave you for the past. You don't need to apologize over and over for something that was only partially your fault."

Heero nodded, but he still felt too ashamed to look directly into Duo's face on the vid screen. Speaking quietly, he continued. "Wufei told me of the damage I'd inflicted on you and suffering you endured as a result of those injuries. If there's any way I can make reparations, I'd gladly do or pay anything."

"Anything?" A cinnamon colored eyebrow rose up in question while the blue-violet eyes beneath sparkled mischievously. Heero nodded in reply and Duo grinned. "Then you owe me dinner, anytime and anywhere I choose."

"Dinner?" Heero looked surprised. "Is that all you want from me?"

"Well, I wouldn't say that's the only thing I _want_, but it's what I'd like to start with."

"All right," Heero replied without any hesitation, wearing a slightly bemused grin.

Duo chuckled. "Well okay then," he grinned back, feeling no small amount of satisfaction.

The two men spent the next few moment contentedly gazing at each other's image on their screens, then Heero recalled the other reason for this call.

"There's something else I wanted to ask you."

"All right," Duo said, a lazy smile still playing on his lips.

"Have you spoken with Howard lately?"

All humor left the braided man's face. "Are you following up Wufei's call last week?"

"I'm just asking if you've heard from him."

"You know Howie and I had a bit of a falling out after the war, don't you?"

Heero's eyebrows drew together in thought. "What happened?"

Duo shrugged one shoulder. "He wasn't all that happy with the fact that I blew up Deathscythe. He's always been a bit overprotective of his work and Deathscythe was one piece of machinery he was particularly proud of, especially the stealth system. He just thought I should have asked him before blowing it up. We've emailed a couple of times over the years, but he's gone his way and I've gone mine."

"Do you have any reason to believe he might have reproduced the stealth device, possibly for humanitarian purposes?"

"Well," Duo drawled as he considered his response. "He always did like to lend a hand to the down trodden. But to tell you the truth, a project like that would take a lot of money. Technology of that high caliber doesn't come cheap. From what I've heard the Sweepers were busy just after the war with all the space junk the war provided, but business lately, especially scrap metal, has been slim. The Sweepers have been hit rather hard and I'm sure the Mars runs that I've heard Howard has been taking constitutes another way to keep his ship running and purchase the necessary supplies for his crew for the long-duration flights."

"Then I take it your answer is no, that you don't think he's involved?"

Duo paused a moment, weighing his answer. "It's only a guess, but I think Howard likes to stay on the better side of the law. The UEC has made the point that they won't tolerate anyone taking a different road than the one they lay out."

"Are you referring to L2?"

"Can you think of any better example?" A note of irritation and anger tinted Duo's question.

Heero studied the other man on the screen a moment. It was clear from the tone of Duo's voice that the subject of L2 was a touchy one. "I recall you saying once that you never wanted to set foot on L2 ever again, that you swore off the colony. You know how corrupt it was becoming. Do you think the UEC was wrong in its judgment of L2?"

"Damn right I think it was wrong."

"How so?"

"Ever hear the old adage that you don't throw out the entire barrel of apples just because of a few rotten ones? Well, L2 definitely had its share of power hungry miscreants, but there are also a lot of decent people who were just doing their best to stay alive. I was one of them, remember. I didn't turn out too bad, did I?"

"No, you didn't. You came out of that colony a hero."

Duo's eyes widened in surprise at Heero's words. The other man had always been reluctant to use the word hero in describing any of the gundam pilots or their role in the wars. "I did my best to represent them and the anger we collectively felt because of the way we were forced to live. Though I fought for the colonies, I guess I also wanted to have a bit of revenge while I was at it."

"Have you been back to L2, Duo?"

The braided man sighed and shook his head. "I've kept my word and haven't set foot on that colony, and I hope to God that I never have to."

Then the subject changed completely when Duo asked, "So, where are you?"

"I'm in a hotel on L4 and about to head out. I came here to meet Wufei, but he's still on an assignment with Trowa."

Duo chuckled. "He somehow managed to pry the clown away from Quatre? Will wonders never cease?"

"I think the two of them felt rather guilty about not helping with Relena's case when asked, and since Quatre has the legitimate excuse of having a business to run, Trowa was the one elected to make amends by volunteering."

"Three days tops is all those two will agree to being apart."

"Then I had better leave because Trowa should be back any moment."

Pulling his braid over his shoulder in order to hold onto it, Duo glanced down to study the weave ats he asked, "So where are you headed now?"

"I think L1 is the most likely place for buying materials that might put together something like a stealth system. You serviced and repaired it, Duo. Can you give me an idea of what materials I should look for?"

"Wish I could help," Duo said, looking sincere. "But I was sworn to secrecy. Howie and G were pretty firm on the fact that what they created was to remain their secret."

Knowing Duo didn't lie, Heero accepted his statement. "If you don't mind, I'll call you again when I have a chance. I'm not sure what I'm going to turn up or how long it will take, but I'd like to see you again, Duo."

The man on the vid screen smiled softly. "I'd like that. Guess I'll wait for your call then."

"If you need to get in touch with me, for any reason, you can reach me by my cell phone or email. I check both several times a day." He then rattled off his Preventer email address, knowing he'd be checking that site more often than on his personal one.

Duo yawned while writing the address on a piece of paper. "'Excuse me," he said, belatedly covering his mouth.

"Sorry for waking you. I'll let you go back to bed now."

"It's okay, this time." He gave Heero a smile to show him he was teasing.

It took a few moments before they were actually able to say goodbye. It was rather awkward leading up to it, but in the end it was Heero who reluctantly disconnected the line.

Closing his laptop, he secured it in its case then stood to check the room one more time to make sure he hadn't forgotten anything. Satisfied that he hadn't, he grabbed his suitcase and swiftly left the room. Though he knew he needed to focus on the objectives for this trip to L1, trying to track down Howard, he found it very difficult to turn his thoughts away from Duo and the future promise of having dinner with the handsome man.

TBC


	26. Chapter 26

Lies - Between Friends and Lovers  
Dyna Dee  
Chapter 25

"Are you sure you won't come home with me? You know you're more than welcome to stay as long as you'd like," Trowa asked, glancing at the Chinese agent standing in the open hatch of the Preventer shuttle.

"Maybe another time," Wufei replied, unsmiling. "I received a message informing me Heero was here on L4 while we were gone, but that he's now on his way to L1. He's going to investigate businesses that might provide any type of materials that would be used to construct a new space cruiser with stealth capabilities."

"L1 seems like as logical place to start as any," the auburn haired man said looking thoughtful. Many of the parts and equipment for their gundams have come through Heero's home colony. "Are you going to meet him there?"

Wufei took a moment to consider his answer before saying, "I'm not really sure. I've half a mind to return to earth and speak with Une personally about my report. I'm sure she'll have some questions to ask about our visit to L2. Give my regards to Quatre, won't you? And thank you for accompanying me."

Trowa nodded in reply. "Let me know if you need backup again, especially in space. I don't like to be away from home for more than a couple of days, so my offer is rather limited."

"I understand." And though he really didn't, Wufei felt a twinge of jealousy of the love and devotion that Trowa and Quatre openly displayed. He could only hope that one day he too might find someone he could share such a relationship with.

Having said their goodbyes the two friends parted once again. Wufei retreated into the ship while Trowa made his way out of the building. Anticipating the welcome his lover would give him on his return, the auburn-haired man lengthened his stride as he made his way home.

The night cycle had only just begun as the two lovers lay naked and entwined with only a sheet and a thin blanket partially covering their cooling, slightly damp bodies.

"I missed you," Quatre said before kissing his lover's chest. He then nestled his head onto Trowa's shoulder.

Trowa hummed softly. "Missed you, too," he replied, sounding both content and sleepy.

The palm of Quatre's hand moved over his lover's chest, brushing lightly against the soft, warm flesh, toying without thinking with the dusky pink nipples, still slightly puckered from their passionate love making. "When will you have to leave again?"

"I'll have to check the schedule," Trowa replied, and then with a touch of regret in his voice he added, "You know I don't like to be away from you, but I'll do whatever is necessary to protect you and keep safe what we have together."

"I'm sorry things are so complicated."

"Shh." Trowa put his finger against his lover's lips. "We asked for some of these complications when we took on this project, knowing that it would disrupt our lives."

"You're right," the blond sighed. "Though I calculated the risks and understood the sacrifices, I wasn't really prepared for your being away so often. When all of this is over, promise me that we'll go away for a while, far from all of the risks and demands on us. Just you and me, Trowa, all right?"

"Anything you want, love." Trowa said as he kissed the top of the blond head and fervently wished for a more normal life in the future.

"Tell me about your trip. How did you find the conditions on L2?"

"Not good, though not as bad as it could have been. The people are barely hanging on. The government supplies are still not enough, despite the diminishing population."

"How long can this go on? Will the UEC not be satisfied until every last person on that colony is dead?"

Trowa sighed. "I don't know what the UEC hopes to achieve by this, but I honestly believe the recent steps we've taken will ensure that the people of Earth and the colonies will know exactly what's happening on L2. The blockade won't last much longer past that disclosure, but there may be an added complication."

Quatre lifted his head off of the warm shoulder to look at Trowa's face. "What do you mean?"

"I saw Relena there and, more importantly, she saw me."

Quatre rose up to look down onto Trowa's face. His own expression was solemn as he contemplated the news. "Did she recognize you?"

"I think so. I heard a woman call out just as I was about to enter the shuttle port. I turned back around and saw her running after me."

"What did you do?"

"I turned and walked away just as she was grabbed by someone I assumed was a Guardian."

A long pause followed Trowa's answer, then Quatre came to a decision as evidenced by his firm voice, "You'll deny recognizing her if you're questioned about it. It will be her word against yours."

A chuckle rumbled in Trowa's chest. "Don't you think her word might count over mine?"

"Was she easily recognizable?"

"No. She looked pretty much like the other L2 citizens, though even from a distance she appeared to be in better health. Hunger hasn't taken its toll on her yet."

Quatre took a deep breath, the uttered, "And if luck is on her side and she uses her better judgment, which I know she is more than capable of, she won't suffer too much longer."

Having said that, Quatre lowered himself back down and he resettled himself along Trowa's side, his head moving back to its resting place on his shoulder. His fingers returned to toying with his lover's chest. "Where did Wufei go? To meet Heero?"

Stroking the blond's bare should Trowa answered, "I'm not exactly sure. He mentioned something about reporting to Director Une in person as soon as possible, but he didn't say specifically where he was headed. He looked like he was preparing to leave the colony immediately after dropping me off, or that's what he led me to believe he was going to do. He did mentioned something about Heero going to L1, but didn't say that was where he was headed. For all I know he could still be docked at the space port."

"Do you think he suspects anything?"

"No, I don't think so. His mind is preoccupied with what he observed on L2. He's finally questioning the UEC's actions. I don't believe he's thinking of the marauders as merely law breakers any longer, though he'll no doubt arrest anyone he suspects of being one if he stumbles onto them. In his investigation"

Quatre's hand paused. "It worries me that both he and Heero are in space, working together on this case."

"They're a serious threat separately, but together it's only a matter of time before they learn something."

Not wanting to dwell on what would happen should either their friends discover their link to the "marauders", Quatre changed the subject. "What was Wufei's impression of L2?"

Trowa moved his hand to combed his fingers through hair as soft as silk, loving the feel of the flaxen stands sliding between his fingertips. "He was justifiably outraged and typed a scathing report regarding the UEC's actions. I believe he intends to make someone answerable for the atrocities he witnessed on the colony. Without him realizing it, we may have unwittingly gotten our cause a vocal and fierce spokesman. Wufei is single minded when he believes justice has been circumvented."

"L2 needs all the supporters it can get," Quatre answered, then sighed deeply, his warm breath ghosting across his lover's chest.

After a long moment of quiet contemplation had passed, he spoke again. "Duo came by while you were gone."

The hand gently combing through his hair suddenly halted. "How is he?"

"Falling hard and fast for Heero all over again."

"That could be a problem as well."

"He's being cautious, with both his heart and his secrets. We can trust him, I think, to handle Heero."

"He couldn't handle him before." Trowa commented, his voice gaining a sharp edge to it as he continued. "But if Heero raises a finger to Duo, intentionally or not hurting him in any way, I will see to it that he never gets the chance to do it again."

Quatre's hand stopped moving altogether after hearing his lover's threat. Trowa never threatened to do something without meaning to follow through. There was no doubt in his mind that the man he loved with all his heart would kill Heero if he felt the other man deserved it, and no one would be the wiser if he did. While the former teenage gundam pilots all had their share of killing, both their enemies and occasionally an innocent civilian bystander, Trowa, the uncanny infiltrator of the group, had perfected the skills that would enable him to take down the enemy in one fell swoop without leaving a clue as to who had done the deed. The green eyed man had promised his lover that he would only resurrect and utilize those deadly skills if their lives were in danger. Duo, being their closest friend, was also covered by the promise of Trowa's protection.

Duo was like a brother to the both of them, especially after they'd taken him home and cared for him after his fight with Heero. Dealing with their physically and emotionally battered friend brought Trowa's protective instincts to the surface. Quatre was beginning to think that in light of Trowa's threat, it might be wise to speak with Heero once more, before he became more involved with Duo. For the moment, though, he needed to sooth Trowa's worries.

"For some time now, I've sensed that Duo had been lonely. I honestly don't believe he's ever really gotten over Heero." The fingers in Quatre's hair began to comb though it once again. Sensing his lover was relaxing once again, the blond continued. "From the conversation I had with Heero, I don't think he got over Duo, either." He sighed then, wishing for what seemed the impossible. "I just want them both to be happy. Duo needs someone he can look up to, someone strong, someone who knows all about his past and yet can still love him."

"Doesn't everyone?"

Haunted by his own ghosts and a past rife with mistakes both large and small, Quatre made sure at the onset of their relationship that Trowa knew all about his regrets, his sorrows and the darkness that sometimes threatened to overwhelm his normal functioning. It was a testament to how much Trowa loved him that and he saw beyond his less attractive faults. Despite all of that their relationship thrived, and their lives were entwined just as much as their bodies were at the moment. They were both flawed men in many ways, but they were also a perfect match for each other. Hugging Trowa a bit tighter, he brought his knee up, brushing against his lover's groin, feeling a renewed interest from that lovely male organ.

In a swift and sudden movement, Quatre shifted, sliding over his lover's body to straddle the flat and firm stomach, his knees resting against Trowa's sides. He looked down on the beautiful and slightly amused face that he could easily gaze at for hours on end. Lowering his upper body, he claimed Trowa's mouth in a searing kiss, showing the other man how much he needed, desired and loved him.

Familiar, talented hands kneaded his bottom as the kiss continued and tongues melded together. He broke the kiss when the need for air became too much to ignore, but instead of sitting up, he latched onto Trowa's neck, nipping his way down it to the base where he began to suck, purposely marking his lover as his own. The hips beneath him bucked slightly, telling him that Trowa was once again ready to move onto the next step. All Quatre's worries about Heero, Duo and Wufei evaporated as he joined his body with the man he loved, and for a second time that afternoon they expressed without words their love and commitment for one another.

____________________________

Having already run a preliminary investigation on the shuttle to L1, Heero was still not certain about what he was looking for. From his research, he'd learned about the different types and amounts of metal needed to build a space shuttle as well as the wiring and specific computer components necessary. What he didn't know was what materials were needed to assemble a stealth system.

He'd only had a quick look at one such system during the war, in the cockpit of Duo's Deathscythe. Howard and his braided sidekick had jealously hidden the system and technology behind it, saying that one day their fortunes would be made from selling such a system to the military, if their side won the war, of course. Even that one glimpse came by happenstance. He'd surprised his new lover with his unexpected arrival in the cockpit of the black gundam. Duo happened to be working on the system, normally hidden under the pilot's chair. The braided teen had quickly lowered the custom pilot seat and then proceeded to distract him from his questions about the system in a most pleasant manner.

A shiver of pleasure rippled through his body at the memory of that day, and Heero shook his head. How had he managed to be thinking about work and find himself lost in a memory of Duo? He had to admit, if only to himself, that his renewed desire for the American was as strong as it had been during the war, and he knew of only one way to sate those desires. But that solution was best left for another day. He couldn't let thoughts of Duo distract him from the task at hand.

He spent his first full day on L1 visiting legitimate businesses, interview the managers or owners, probing into their sales history, looking for customers who had purchased large amounts of the materials on his list, four, possibly five years ago. He wore his uniform and flashed his Preventer badge in order to show those he talked with that his investigation was legitimate. Even so, he found the owners reluctant to divulge any information without a proper court order. He emailed a request for a search and seizure order, stating a strong suspicion that the owner of the largest metal supply company on L1 might be in collusion with the marauders.

Wufei contacted him later that night, after he'd returned to his hotel room for some sleep. The Chinese man surprised him with news that he was on his way to Earth to give an oral report to the director and insisting he receive an answer to his concerns. After reading his disturbing account of conditions on L2, Heero agreed that Wufei would make a greater impression on the powers that be by delivering his eyewitness accounts in person. They spoke of Heero's current investigation and Wufei, believing him to be on the right track, suggested he would return to space as soon as he could to help with questioning ship builders and suppliers of materials needed to build a state-of-the -art shuttle. Someone in that trade had to know or had to have heard some rumor about a shuttle with cloaking abilities being built. All they needed was a name or place, and they'd have a chance at cracking the case.

After they'd finished speaking, Heero, as he did at least three times a day, called and spoke with Milliardo Peacecraft and received the disappointing news that there still had been no word or further developments in Relena's kidnaping case. Feeling somewhat deflated by the continued lack of progress in both cases, he retired to his bed, even though he knew at some level that sleep would fail to find him. His mind went over and over the events of the past few weeks, which further prevented him from relaxing and enough to allow sleep to come.

No sooner had his eyes closed than his thoughts turned to Duo once more. Once again he envisioned the other man as he'd appeared the day they'd questioned him in his apartment Damn, but he had been appealing, in every way possible. He also recalled the portrait on Duo's living room wall, a picture that would remain in his thoughts for a long time to come.

Dwelling on those pleasant mental images, and imagining a few more, including his reaching out and exploring every inch of that perfect male body, quickly brought him out of his bed and into the shower. When he emerged ten minutes later, he finally felt tired enough to successfully fall asleep.

Heero spent next morning in his hotel room awaiting word of the requested warrant for search and seizure. Director Une had contacted him just after noon, L1 time, and reported that his request for the warrant had been denied. The reason? No viable probability. Unless he had evidence, even circumstantial evidence that the named business was in league with the marauders, there would be no forthcoming search warrant. Of course he had no evidence, just a hunch, and not a strong one at that.

After receiving that bit of news, he changed into his street clothes and walked down to the docks where the space freighters unloaded their cargo. He stopped a few men, stevedores by the look of them, just finishing work for the day, and inquired about any contact with Sweeper ships, if they'd heard of a captain Howard.

Of course all the men had heard of Howard the Sweeper; his role in the first war was legendary among that group as well as other space freighter crews. Astonishingly, even though they all knew of Howard, no one admitted to having seen nor heard word of the man in well over a year. Was that possible? Howard could be elusive when he wanted to, but to disappear for well over a year without any one noticing seemed highly improbable.

His questions began to mount. Where would the brilliant aerospace engineer have gone? What was he up to? Despite the eccentric man's loud Hawaiian shirts and casual style, he doubted Howard had retired to a deserted island to live out his days in quiet anonymity.

His mind immediately began to think of possibilities. What if Howard did build a stealth system for the marauders? It wasn't outside the realm of possibility. The man had built Tallgeese, had engineered Deathscythe and probably had something to do with all of the gundams, including the plans for Wing Zero that Quatre built in his lab on L4.

With Wufei's report suggesting the marauders were supplying food and necessities to the starving citizens of L2, it wasn't hard to imagine the good hearted Howard would volunteer his expertise to help the downtrodden. After all, he'd befriended the stowaway kid from L2 and took care of him until Professor G took over Duo's training.

Yet back then, Howard had received funding from the colonies to develop and build the war machines he called gundams. It had been a very costly operation. If he was indeed involved with the marauders, who would be bold or rich enough to be his financial backer?

Returning to the hotel room with all of this on his mind, he began making a list of known philanthropists, focusing on those living in space. The information was surprisingly easy to come by on the internet and the list, when completed, was relatively short, no more than three individuals from each colony with the exception of L4, where anyone from the large and wealthy Winner family had enough money alone to fund the building of a colony. Building a shuttle, or even just a stealth system, would be little more than spare change in their bank accounts.

He frowned at seeing his friends' names on the list, though it really wasn't a surprise that Quatre and Trowa were there. It was well known on earth as well as the colonies that the role of philanthropists described the two men very well. Trowa supported Quatre in whatever venture caught his attention, especially when knowing that the softhearted blond hated to see others suffering. Their joint, yearly donations to charities could easily fund a small country or colony for several months. Heero quickly dismissed the two men from the list as possible supporters for the space pirates. He would have been able to tell if they were involved, wouldn't he?

That very question came back to him several times during the next couple of days. Finally, after hitting one dead end after another, he booked a morning flight back to L4, hoping to have another conversation with his friends.

TBC

Thanks to those who left a comment on chapter 14, or any others before that one. I wish I had time to answer each and every one of you individually, but I don't have the luxury of time any longer. I do want you to know, however, that I appreciate your comments and support.


	27. Chapter 27

Lies - Between Friends and Lovers  
Dyna Dee  
CHAPTER 26

Heero found himself in the formal living room of Quatre and Trowa's home after being greeted at the door by the middle-aged, properly attired, dark, tall and thin maid. She'd welcomed him, the promptly left him sitting on the chintz divan while she left to prepare him a glass of ice tea.

He tried to make himself comfortable, but the formal piece of furniture he was sitting on wasn't designed for comfort as much as it had been for appearance. He could, however, imagine Duo stretching out on it, one leg over the edge and his arms folded behind his head, pillowing it comfortably while wearing a saucy grin on his face.

Damn, he had to quit obsessing over the American.

Forcing himself to think about something, anything else, he turned his attention back to the interior of the room and quickly decided the ambiance was as stiff and formal as the furnishings. He doubted whether he could ever be comfortable living in such an elegant setting. How long had it taken Trowa to adjust, or had he? Knowing the former Heavyarms pilot's mercenary history, the odds that Trowa would find himself as a lover to one of the wealthiest men in the universe were astronomical. Well, until you factored in that the wealthy man had also been a gundam pilot and head over heels for Trowa at first sight.

The maid returned with his tall glass of tea, served on a silver tray along and accompanied by a plate filled with small, crust-less sandwiches, which, Heero admitted to himself were delicious. Feeling quite hungry, he ate every last one of them and silently wished there had been a few more. Slowly sipping his tea, he was quite content to sit and wait for one of the two men that lived there to greet him.

A half hour passed from his arrival before Quatre came rushing into the room, an apology on his lips. "I'm so sorry to have kept you waiting, Heero. I left the office as soon as Malina called to tell me you were here. How was your trip to L1?"

"Not as successful as I had hoped," he replied as Quatre sat on the other end of the divan.

"Oh?" The blue eyes appeared curious, but not overly so, Heero decided.

"I was trying to track down any large purchases of metal during the past five years that might have been used for building a shuttle, one with stealth capabilities. The metal suppliers were less than forthcoming."

"So where does that leave you?"

"I've asked around for Howard, but it appears he hasn't been heard from in at least a year. Has Duo mentioned anything to you about him?"

The blond man frowned in thought. "I recall he and Duo having some disagreement after the war. Something to do with his having blown up his gundam, I think."

"It seems rather uncharacteristic of Howard, doesn't it?"

Quatre leaned back into the chair and shifted his body, trying to get comfortable. "Well, I can't say I got to know Howard very well, regardless of the fact that he was an enormous help to us during the first war, so I don't know what to say about his reactions or if even his disappearance is irregular or typical. Have you asked Duo?"

"I told him I wanted to speak with Howard, but I'm not sure he'll take too well to my probing into his friend's business matters," Heero answered.

"Why not?"

Heero turned and brought his left knee up to rest it on the sofa. "Duo and I are just testing the waters, so to speak. He gets a bit testy when I mention Howard, so I was trying not to rock the boat."

"I see."

Heero had an inkling that the other man knew more than he was letting on. "_If_ Howard is involved and _if _he rebuilt the stealth system used on Deathscythe, it's more than likely he would have needed a financial backer. Building a shuttle takes more than what he had in his bank account three years ago."

A blond eyebrow rose. "Did you actually acquire a warrant to search Howard's financial records at his bank?"

"No, I didn't. I'll admit giving into my curiosity by tapping into his bank accounts, or at least, the ones I could find. At a glance it appeared that nothing had been withdrawn or deposited in over a year, which validates Duo's belief that he's on a Mars run." Heero leaned forward in his chair, his eyes locked with Quatre's. "My question to you is this; do you know of, or have you heard any gossip to the fact that someone with money from the colonies ordered the building of a stealth shuttle?"

Quatre looked thoughtful for a moment before answering. "Well, there's certainly enough money in the colonies for a number of individuals or businesses to buy such a ship. You could narrow your research by going to the library and looking up the subject in the magazine titled Colony Business Today."

"I got the information online," Heero interjected. "What I need to know is who of those top twenty wealthiest people and philanthropists in the colonies has an acute interest in L2, enough to invest in a costly stealth shuttle?"

Quatre's gaze was steady as he answered. "Those in the top twenty include myself and several of my family members, Heero. I can't read anyone's thoughts nor do I give credence to gossip at dinner parties. What I do know is that everyone on that list is colony born. Though none of us have come out to openly oppose the UEC government, fearful of the consequences, but we have certainly voiced our concerns and have used whatever influence we have to work towards lifting the embargo on L2. There's not a one of us who can forget the strangle hold the Alliance used in controlling the colonies before the Eve wars. We all grew up in fear and dread of Earth's government back then, and those memories are hard to put aside. As for who might have an interest in L2, I would say that everyone on that list does. The suffering on L2 could become the fate of any other colony should the UEC see them as a threat."

Quatre's answer resonated as being truthful to the Preventer. As a colonist, even as a young child, he had been taught the history and politics of each colony and their struggles with the Alliance. Could he blame any colonist now for trying to free their sister colony from an oppression that mirrored the not-so-distant past?

With his friend's gaze still fixed on him, Heero debated whether or not he should risk being blunt and ask the other man outright if he was involved in any way with the marauders. Quatre was a person he greatly admired, and he was Duo's best friend. He didn't want to ruin the chance he'd been given to be a part of their lives again by casting accusations that might be false.

"I can tell you're troubled about something, Heero," Quatre said, interrupting his train of thought and indecision. "If you want to ask me something, go ahead. I'll answer to the best of my ability."

Heero sighed. This was more difficult than he thought it would be. "I value our past, Quatre, and the fact that you're willing to let me be a part of your life again."

The blond sat serenely, his hands at ease and his blue eyes gazing at him with a mixture of curiosity and patience. Heero paused for only a moment to wonder whether or not he was about to lose his tentative friendship altogether with his former comrades, but he knew the answer almost immediately, knowing he really had no choice. Yet just as he opened his mouth to ask the question he dreaded the answer to, the other man spared him.

"Do you suspect myself or Duo of being involved with the building of a stealth ship?"

Heero let out the breath he'd been holding. "No, not really. But you do have the resources and I _know_ both you and Duo well enough, or at least I used to, and neither of you can tolerate standing by when others are suffering. It's my job as the Preventer in charge of this investigation to question everyone until I can determine who is involved with these attacks."

Quatre's face remained placid as he replied. "I know you're only doing your job, Heero, but you just answered the question yourself. I'm a law abiding citizen and Duo has found a comfortable niche in life, at least for the moment. Why would we jeopardize what we have for something that is legally sanctioned by the UEC?"

Heero contemplated that question for a moment. He couldn't come up with a reasonable answer to Quatre's question other than recalling that five very different, colony-born teenage boys who had offered up their lives when they'd accepted the job as gundam pilots, to fight against a common, seemingly unbeatable foe, Earth's government. What could possibly be more valuable than the life Duo or Quatre had built? Certainly not a job or money. Yet it wasn't too much of a stretch for him to imagine his three former comrades sacrificing everything once again to help a sister colony.

A long, awkward moment passed before the blond spoke again, deftly changing the subject. "Any new leads on Relena or who took her?"

Heero shook his head. "Nothing new. It's as if she slipped off the face of the planet."

"It's a curious thing," Quatre mused, looking thoughtful. "Why would someone take her and then not ask for a ransom or demand some kind of action for her return? Even if she was taken for some sort of political leverage, the media would have been contacted to carry the message. It's certainly a mystery."

"Yes, it is."

After a long moment of silence, Heero felt that Quatre was waiting from him to introduce the next bit of conversation, and so he asked, "Is Trowa here?"

With an apologetic expression the other man answered, "No. I wanted him to attend a business meeting for me at the company's branch on L3 for me. I expect him back later tonight. If you want to speak with him, I think tomorrow at breakfast will be your best chance."

"All right. I'll give him a call."

"You aren't staying with us?" Quatre looked surprised.

"No. I'm still actively investigating the marauders. As I told you before, it's better that I remain on my own, at least until I meet up with Wufei."

"I see." Quatre's voice displayed more than those two words that he was disappointed. Heero realized that he'd upset the other man, having promised during their last meeting that he would stay with he and Trowa as a visiting friend, and not business. Though he hated to make Quatre unhappy, there really had been little choice in the matter. He had his job to do and this assignment to carry out. That should be more important than pleasing a friend, shouldn't it? Then why did he feel so badly about the unhappy expression on Quatre's face.

In that awkward, drawn-out moment both men unknowingly came to the same realization, that a new, hopefully temporary, barrier had been drawn up between them, caused by each man's strong sense of duty. They both silently experienced regret and disappointment as they acknowledged the new setback in their healing relationship, and hoped it wouldn't continue for much longer. Heero stood, signaling his readiness of depart, and Quatre saw him to the front door. Their goodbyes were brief and without promises.

Feeling better after taking a shower and dressing in fresh clothing, Heero wasted no time in turning on his computer. A message stating he had a new email popped up on the screen. He read the contents of that message and quickly typed his response, which he immediately sent to Director Une. He closed his lap top once again, glancing longingly at the neatly made-up bed he was just going to have to do without. He then turned his thoughts to the next unpleasant task. Checking out of a hotel room half an hour after checking in was not one of his favorite tasks, though flashing his Preventer ID card lessened the sour expression on the front clerk's face, but only slightly.

The Preventer shuttle was fueled and ready to go by the time he reached the docking port, thanks to his boss having pre-arranged for it to be ready for his departure. A space freighter had been hijacked just short of L1 not more than an hour ago. It transmitted an SOS after the field blocking their communications disappeared along with the space thieves. If he flew out immediately and, barring any complications, he would rendezvous with the captain and crew of the boarded ship on L1 in a little less than eight hours.

_____________________

Having communicated with the captain of the Komodo, Heero casually made his way to dock number twenty-eight, ten minutes before his scheduled appointment with Captain Tennyson Childers. As usual, being back on L1 always brought back memories, both good and bad. This time he couldn't help but think of his unusual childhood, raised by an assassin, Odin Lowe, who dragged him from colony to colony, training him as his apprentice in the art of killing. Though the man hadn't been unkind to him, Heero now believed that had his first trainer lived, he deserved to be thrown in prison to rot for teaching him how to kill another person with such efficiency. While those skills had helped him in more ways than one in the training he'd undergone with Dr. J, and the wars that followed, Heero would have given anything to have been just a normal boy.

He also thought of Doctor J., his intense training and physical manipulations that, even though he was still a child, they made him stronger than most men. Yes, returning to L1 always brought back memories of the past. Perhaps the reason Duo had sworn never to set foot on L2 again was because of a similar problem with his memories returning. Having learned from Duo some of the details of his life as a child on the streets of that colony, there were very few good memories of that time, and those that were less than awful were clouded over by tragic endings.

Captain Childers met him at the boarding hatch. He was a portly man sporting at least a three-days' growth of beard on his round face. The captain had an explosive temper, which was amply demonstrated when he commenced to rant and rave for over an hour about the audacity of the pirates to board _his_ vessel.

After the captain calmed sufficiently enough to let Heero ask him about the attack, the flushed and sweaty man threw himself down into a chair in a dramatic fashion and told the Preventer an almost identical story to that of the other ships' captains who had the misfortune of being waylaid by the marauders. The attack had been sudden, with no ship having been detected on their scanning system or visually. A shot had been fired over the bow as a warning and an audio message was received, ordering the Komodo to stand down and prepare to be boarded. Three individuals came aboard, dressed in black with their faces obscured by masks of the same color. There were no overt threats of violence, and the lead man - disguised like all the others, was tall, thin and had a craggy voice -presented a large bag of credits in exchange for the selected cargo, which was quickly and efficiently loaded into the marauder's ship. The entire operation lasted less than twenty minutes.

With the statement recorded, Heero returned to the Preventer shuttle and spent the next couple of hours pouring over every word the captain and his small crew had said, looking for some small detail that might lead to an identification of the marauders.

Slumping wearily back into his chair, he dragged the fingers of both hands through his messy hair and tugged at the coarse fibers in frustration. There was nothing new in the Komodo captain's statement that would help identify its attackers. The marauder's practiced efficiency, leaving no trace of who they were or where they came from, which covered their tracks perfectly.

Having two unsolvable cases was enough to leave the normally patient man feeling frustrated; Heero had never felt more "normal" than he did at that moment. Without any clues to follow, both Relena's disappearance and the ever elusive marauders remained mysteries yet to be solved.

A sudden thought occurred to him that perhaps the two were cases were related. He dismissed the idea as quickly as it had come. The marauders had kept their activities centered in space and only to freighters carrying goods to well-supplied colonies. They paid for what they took. Relena's kidnapers, assuming that she had been kidnaped against her will, had acted on Earth, with no ransom or demands made for her return.

With nothing else to go on, Heero decided it had become imperative that he track down Howard, and the sooner the better. He entertained the thought that perhaps the brilliant engineer might have been forced to turn over the schematics for a stealth system, then killed when he no longer proved useful. But hadn't Duo said that he'd heard from him a few months back?

With a frustrated grunt he sat proper up to face his computer and brought up the familiar files in order to study the logged reports he'd made from conversations and observations from his interviews with other shuttle captains and crews during his brief stay on L1 as well as the brief comments given in reply to his questions regarding Howard. He had no proof, but somehow his instincts were telling him that the brilliant engineer was involved, voluntarily or coerced, in the reconstructing the stealth system the marauders were using. Proving that, however, was going to be as difficult as finding the missing man.

TBC

Author's note: Thanks again to all of those who are reading along and have chosen this as a favorite story. It's a ridiculously busy time of year for me, but I'll try to maintain the schedule of posting at least once a week.


	28. Chapter 28

**Lies Between Friends and Lovers  
****Chapter 27**

Sitting in one of New York's more trendy eating establishments, Duo toyed with his salad while trying to remain attentive to the details being hammered out between his agent and the promotional manager for Everet Spalding, renown designer of men's formal wear. Premiere, one of the top magazines in the clothing design industry, was going to feature Spalding's designs in an upcoming issue. Duo was one of three male models selected by the designer's staff to present the line. All that was needed to close the deal was to work out the business details and sign the contract. Negotiation over payment for his services seemed to be going well, and it looked to the braided man that his bank account was about to gain a few more zeros.

The hostess approached the table with a smile directed solely towards the recognizable model as she asked, "Mr. Maxwell?" Duo acknowledged her with a nod. "There's a phone call for you. If you'd like, we have a private sitting room where you can take the call."

Excusing himself, Duo left the two men at the table and followed the young woman, smartly dressed in a black pantsuit with a white frilly blouse. She stopped before a door just off the main reception area and opened it to a cozy room with two high back chairs and a small desk with a vid phone sitting on top. She informed him with a toothy grin that he needed only to depress the line 2 button to answer his call. Once the door closed securely behind her, Duo moved towards the desk and sat on the cloth-covered paisley chair and picked the phone. "Duo here."

"It's me," Quatre said, his voice sounding far away.

Knowing his friend wouldn't call him in a public place without a good reason Duo asked, "What's wrong?"

"Check the phone for bugs, the room, too."

It took less than two minutes to do as his friend had asked. "Everything's clear," he reported after returning to the chair and sitting down. He turned on the vid screen so he could see his friend while they chatted.

"Heero was here again," the blond man reported, his expression sober. "His suspicions are growing. He was asking for Trowa and looking for Howard."

"Damn. We knew this could be a problem, but I thought we covered our tracks."

"Heero never did like an unsolved puzzle." The blond leaned forward, his face coming closer to the camera. "I've thought things over, and I think I've come up with a solution. You might not like it, but just hear me out, all right?" He waited for Duo to nod before he continued. "Though in the past we've known Heero to be ridiculously focused on a goal, he's also shown that he can change his direction in an instant, like when he decided at the last moment not to shoot Relena when she was first presented as the Queen of the World."

"What do you suggest?" Duo asked.

"I believe a distraction is in order, something that will turn Heero's focus to something other than the marauders."

Frowning, Duo warily asked, "What kind of a distraction?"

"There is only one thing I can think of that might possibly distract him from an assignment, and that's you, Duo. I think you should consider seducing him."

A long moment of silence stretched out between the two friends. Quatre remained silent on his end of the line, knowing Duo needed a moment to digest his suggestion. The braided man finally shook his head, not liking the blond's solution to their problem. "I think you've finally lost it, Quat. Am I wrong or did you not say to me the last time we talked that now is not the time for romance? You were right. I've got too much shit going on in my life that Heero could muck up. I can't get involved with him right now, or anyone else for that matter."

"Yes, you can," Quatre replied. "And despite what you say, I think that you want to."

"You think too much, my friend. Besides, you know I'm too busy with work and our little side project to take on a relationship of any kind. And who said Heero is interested in anything but friendship?"

"I know he is," the blond replied with confidence. "I believe the only things he's waiting for is some sign from you that you are interested in something more."

"I don't know." Duo said with hesitance, still doubtful and frowning.

"Are you worried that he might lose his tempter again? That he might hit you?" Quatre hated to broach that painful subject with his friend and in such a blunt manner, but he knew that Duo's past with Heero's had to be discussed at some point.

The brunet crossed his arms over his chest, a defensive posture, the blond surmised. "Of course I'm worried about that. It hasn't been that long since the nightmares stopped. How can I trust him after what he did to me?"

"He assured me that he's gotten help, that he was under the influence of the Zero System when he attacked you. You had very little contact with Zero, Duo. Believe me, I know what Heero experienced. There have been moments when I lashed out at others for no other reason than I felt they were a viable threat to me or someone close to me. Those impulses have been gone for years now. When Heero told me he was free of the Zero system, I believed him."

"Trust is something that's earned," Duo said stubbornly with a wrinkle of worry between his much photographed eyes.

"Then start out slow and let Heero prove to you that he's trustworthy. I'm not asking you to do anything you don't want to, but I think that you could lead him a merry chase and keep him from getting any further in his investigation. Tease him a bit. You used to be pretty good at making suggestive innuendoes, and that would surely keep him hot and bothered. And wear that robe you got from Antonio Dulac; you look hot in that getup." Both men knew that the famous designer had designed the sleep wear just for Duo, most likely an attempt at seducing the handsome model.

A minuscule hint of a smile twitched at Duo's lips. "He saw me in that getup the day he and Wufei showed up on my doorstep asking about Relena."

"See? The seeds of seduction have already been planted. All you need do is cultivate it, keep Heero off balance so that he can't think of anything but you. Distraction is a powerful tool, especially when you're trying to hide something."

Duo buried his hands into his hair and squeezed his eyes shut. "This isn't fair, Quatre. I could get hurt in this cat and mouse game you're asking me to play."

"If he raises a hand to you, he's been warned that he'll have to face me as well as Trowa, and that there won't be enough of him left to identify."

Duo shook his head. "I meant my heart. I've tried during these past few years to get over him. But I just can't," he added, sounding as defeated as he felt at the realization. "Heero owns my heart, Quatre. He has from almost the first time we met. He's the classic first love that I'll never get over. Asking me to start something up with him is essentially setting me up for heartbreak all over again. I just don't know that I'm strong enough to pull myself back up after another fall."

"I know," the blond answered sincerely, not wanting for his friend to be hurt like he had five years earlier. "I wouldn't have made the suggestion if I believed for a moment you would be totally adverse to the idea. From what you've told me, as well as what I've sensed from you during our last few contacts, you've been taking small steps on your own towards a reconciliation."

Rubbing his face with his hands, Duo answered. "Yeah, maybe you're right. But I need to make that decision myself, whether or not to return to the past."

"Not the past, Duo, but a possible future with Heero. You're right, of course, that only you can make the decision about becoming romantically involved with him again, but we're running out of time. Heero is trying to find Howard. Some sort of distraction is necessary before he manages to find someone who will talk to him. Can you think of anything else that might work?"

Duo did think for several long moments. Then with a slow shake of his head he capitulated. "No, you're right. A distraction is needed." Another pause followed while Duo made up his mind. "All right, I'll do it. I'll distract Mr. Preventer, but it's up to me to choose whether or not to get into bed with him."

"Agreed," Quatre replied, looking pleased with the outcome of their discussion.

The brunet gave his friend a look of warning. "If this blows up in my face, you know you'll have to pick up the pieces again, don't you?"

That thought sobered the businessman. "The last thing I want is for you to be hurt again, Duo, physically or emotionally. Just be careful and keep Taylor up to date on your activities."

Sensing that Duo still harbored a few reservations, Quatre determined to try once more to convince him this really was the only course of action available. "I've been thinking about this problem since last night, and this was the only plausible way I can think of that would distract Heero. Not even Relena's disappearance seems to have shaken him up sufficiently enough to distract him from his pursuit of the marauders. He's friend's with her, but he's not in love with her. I could be wrong, but it's only reasonable to assume that it's will take something Heero's personally and emotionally invested in to distract him. From my recent conversations with him, the one topic that came up that wasn't Preventer related was you, Duo. Heero obviously still harbors strong feelings for you; he even admitted to having them. I think it's quite possible that in giving him your undivided attention might successfully distract him from his work and solve two problems at once: unbalancing him enough to make him less of a threat, and bringing two people I care very much about back together again."

Duo remained quiet and in a thoughtful pose as he'd listened to Quatre speak. With a resigned tone in his voice he asked, "That's a pretty tall order, don't you think? Distracting Heero by risking my heart."

"You've already said your heart was his. I know the timing isn't perfect, but you're smart enough to keep Heero close and retain your secrets too. However, I'd advise you to meet him in places other than your home, and whatever you do, keep Taylor out of sight when the two of you are together. It wouldn't do for you to be with Heero and then also have you sighted on the streets of New York, would it?"

The blue/violet eyes that looked up into the camera looked resigned, but not as troubled as they'd been moments before. "Yeah, you're right," Duo admitted. "Give me a day or two to formulate a plan. I'll call you with the details."

Quatre offered a somewhat crooked smile as he replied, "Good. You know how I like hearing the details'."

"Oh, shut up!" Duo grinned, laughing at the suggestive wiggle of his blond eyebrows. "My salad is waiting, you perv. Bye, Quat."

He disconnected the connection, but instead of returning to his business lunch, he took a few moments to consider the conversation and his options. Then, with a couple of reservations, he took out his PDA to look up a phone number. Putting his debit card into the appropriate slot, he took a deep breath and began to dial.

_________________

Heero was in the middle of a rather unusual conversation with a couple of Sweepers in a dark bar not far from the shipping ports when his phone vibrated at his hip.

Having paid for the next round of drinks, hoping to loosen the men's tongues, he excused himself to take the call. He didn't recognize the caller's number, but knowing that only a few people had his cell number, he answered it anyway.

"Hey there," Duo greeted him, and although the connection was bad, Heero could hear the grin in the other man's voice.

Moving quickly to a booth in a dark corner, Heero hoped to gain some privacy for the conversation. He felt something close to being giddy at receiving a call from the other man. "Duo," he spoke softly and with a smile on his face. "Where are you?"

"At some fancy hotel here in New York. I'm about to sign an agreement that will net me enough to double my bank account. Though to earn all that dough I'll have to commit to three years of modeling this designer's clothing at the spring fashion shows, wearing the suits in public and posing for at least three advertising spreads for this company."

"Sounds good," Heero replied, finding it odd to be speaking about money with Duo. It was a subject they rarely addressed when they were teenagers.

"It's a great deal, and I feel like celebrating. I was wondering if you'd like to celebrate with me, you know, meet up somewhere?"

"I'm in space, Duo. I can't possibly come back to Earth until I make some headway on this case or if something new comes up in regards to Relena's disappearance."

"Has there been any new information on either case?"

There was a long pause before Heero admitted that there wasn't. "I didn't think you could come to New York," Duo continued. "I'm wondering if maybe we could rendezvous on the moon. I have this weekend free. We could have that dinner you owe me, catch up on each other's lives and test the waters, so to speak, while trying to mend a few fences."

This was exactly what Heero had been hoping for, though the timing was less than perfect. While it was true that he wasn't getting anywhere in locating Howard, he hated to take a full weekend for himself and putting the investigation on hold. But would this opportunity to re-connect with Duo be his only chance if he turned down the other man's offer? Did he dare take the chance in case it was?

"This weekend?"

"If you can get away, I'll book us rooms at the Orbiter Hotel for Friday and Saturday nights. My treat, by the way. So what do you say? Can you make it?"

After taking only a moment to consider his schedule for the next few days, noting that sitting in bars trying to wrest some news out of the closed-mouth society known as Sweepers was his only hope of gaining news about Howard, he made his decision, figuring he could ask stevedores on the moon about the missing man as well as on any colony. With his conscience assuaged by the thought of not dropping the case entirely while taking a 48 hour break, Heero agreed.

"Great!" Duo sounded excited. "I'll make the reservations. I use an alias when I travel, so when you get to the hotel you'll find your room booked under the name of Max Stillwell. I'll tell the hotel to book us rooms on the same floor, if that's all right with you."

"Max Stillwell," Heero repeated, memorizing the name with saying it out loud. "I might not be able to make it to the hotel until late in the afternoon."

"I'll met you in the restaurant on the top floor at seven then."

"Seven. Sounds good."

"Heero?"

"Yes?"

"I'm glad you can make it."

Heero wanted to tell the other man how much this opportunity to make amends meant to him, but he couldn't seem to find the words to express himself. The only thing he could manage in reply was, "I'm looking forward to seeing you again."

Two hours after ending his conversation with Duo, Heero received a text message confirming that their rooms had been booked at The Orbiter for both Friday and Saturday nights. Having garnered no further information after visiting several more bars and running up a fairly large bill on his Preventer account, he called it a night and walked back to his hotel room with an unusual bounce in his step as he thought of the weekend to come.

TBC


	29. Chapter 29

**Lies Between Friends and Lovers  
**Dyna Dee  
**Chapter 28**

Relena

Sitting in the corner of the shared bedroom, wrapped in a previously-used but much appreciated blanket, Relena once again contemplated her roommates, sleeping noisily while she remained awake and unable to find even the most necessary of escapes. She thought it must be the lack of exercise and so little mental stimulation that kept her from sleeping. Having been confined to the apartment with nothing to do was the worst form of punishment for someone like herself, used to a lot of activity and interaction with others.

She curled in on herself as her stomach grumbled loudly. Good lord but she was hungry. Even though she'd tried her best to stretch her reduced number of tasteless rations, she was hungry all the time and felt almost hollow. If it wasn't for her roommates giving her several spoonfuls of their own precious rations each meal time, she would be suffering far more than she was presently. Of course the other four didn't have to share their rations with her, which was why their kindness in her hour of need touched Relena all the more deeply. This new level of food depravation, matched by her roommates' kindness, had changed her opinion of the other four, and indeed her views about the other people on L2. She no longer judged those she associated with by their appearances alone, nor for their lack of manners. Instead, she now regarded them with understanding and a deep sense of gratitude for their charitable behavior towards her, as ironic as that seemed.

Being a person born to a privileged life, Relena never knew what depravation was, having taken for granted a bottomless bank account, a loyal staff of servants, a large beautiful home to live in, a wardrobe most women could only dream of as well as a say in the political arena. And look at her now, housed with four strangers whose only valuable belongings were a coveted week's worth of food packs and water and the ragged clothing on their backs. Their common goals, which Relena now shared, was looking forward to their next meal as well as struggling from day to day to survive. Never in her wildest dreams could she have imagined herself living on L2 and on the brink of starvation with these poor and lowly people who were showing charity to her by sharing a portion of their sustenance. Each mouthful of food they gave her was one less for them, and a precious gift. Their sacrifice for her benefit touched Relena deeply and she would never, ever forget it.

In an effort to deal with endless hours spent with nothing to do but think of her constant hunger, she had engaged her roommates in conversation. It was amazing, she thought, how much one could learn about a person after asking a few questions. All four adults seemed wary when she first began to question them about their lives, but it didn't take long before they accepted that her curiosity and concern were genuine, then all hesitance passed and they opened up, eager to share with her the tales of their pasts. She'd learned quite a lot about those she lived with during the past week, including their tragic pasts, their hopes and the dreams they'd once harbored. Between the four, they had a wealth of stories to tell, about their own lives as well as others they'd known. She was coming to care very much about these forgotten people, to worry about their survival and future, that is if any of them had a future. Blaming hunger or inactivity for keeping her awake at night was really only a small part of the reason sleep eluded her. In truth, it was her fears for the people of L2 that kept her awake hours after her roommates had fallen to sleep.

A large snore suddenly erupted from one of the men. Havoc Reel, she decided. The older man with the deep lines etched in his face looked very much like a scarecrow to her, with his long, lanky arms and legs and a hat on his head when he went out of the apartment. When asked about his life, the older man told her that after being a Sweeper for twenty years he'd been employed on L2 as an environment-maintenance specialist, a job he continued to labor at despite a lack of pay or parts for the ever-breaking machinery that kept the colony from letting the vacuum of space into the dilapidated tin can and killing all the inhabitants.

Havoc was a widower, his wife having passed away in 185 AC. They'd had no children. With no other family, Havoc stayed on L2, believing his job was important enough to tolerate the corrupt government and lawlessness. Even now, with the deteriorating conditions the colony lived in, he continued to patch up any malfunctioning part or machinery, hoping to keep them all alive in the event that those in charge on Earth would come to their senses and save the stout-hearted people of L2. Relena contemplated the older man and couldn't help but admire him for the tenacious spirit of hope he carried in his heart, believing that a day of deliverance for L2's citizens would come, eventually.

Within the faint light of the room, coming from the crack in the blanket that was tacked up over the window, she saw Kirk roll over and away from the man sharing his mattress. No doubt his slumber had been disturbed by Havoc's snoring.

Kirk was a surprisingly warm and accommodating individual, his brown eyes often reflected his feelings. He had a kind way about him that Relena felt was quite remarkable, considering the circumstances. Like all of the men on the colony, Kirk was very thin, his face gaunt despite the unkempt beard. When she'd questioned him about his past, Kirk admitted to having been a postal worker, delivering mail and packages to those few on the colony who were privileged enough to be on the receiving end of a delivery. It had been a good job, he'd told her. But his occupation had come to an end when the violence and lawlessness on the colony had escalated to a more dangerous level, and then the embargo had been set in place. He now spent his days walking the vehicle-empty streets, trying to maintain his strength while waiting for liberation in any form to come.

As to whether or not he had a family, Kirk had answered that it was something he didn't want to talk about. The ensuing silence that followed had prompted Relena to end that more personal line of questioning.

"Mama." Gian mumbled the word with such longing that it made Relena's heart ache for the pregnant young woman. Gian Dupont's story was sad, though not unusual for a female living on L2. She was a child of the streets, raised by a single mother after her father had been killed while being mugged on his way home from work. Her mother had done her best to gain employment in order to support herself and daughter, but the part-time job at a food outlet didn't pay enough to make the rent and they soon found themselves living on the streets, carrying with them only what they needed to survive the cold, harsh world they had been forced into.

Gian's mother died of an untreated illness, leaving her teenage daughter unprotected and alone. Gian had learned alongside her mother how to stay out of the way and remain unseen as much as possible, but it was impossible to avoid any detection, especially by gangs and those men and women preying on the poor unfortunates.

Gian reluctantly spoken of a woman who approached her one day and had offered her a job. Believing she was going to improve her circumstances, Gian followed the woman to her business with the understanding that she would be waiting tables in exchange for room and board. Less than two months had passed when she had been forced into prostitution. The woman who hired her was, unknown to Gian, a ruthless madam.

She remained at the whore house until one of the colony's gangs tried to extort a large protection fee from her employer. When the woman refused to pay, the establishment was burned to the ground and she was once again out of a job and home.

Reverting to her old ways, Gian hid from everyone, stealing by slight of hand during the day and huddling in dark shadows by night. That was until the blockade and the hard times really began. Several years ago, she'd been rousted from her nest of rags by the Guardians and brought to this very apartment and given a meal tag. Even as the colony struggled to live, Gian had been given a life better than the one she'd previously known.

One evening, several months earlier, she'd failed to make it back to the building before the lights went out, and a nameless dark shadow pounced upon her, dragging her into an alley where an unidentified man ruthlessly took what he wanted and left her with an added burden.

Relena couldn't help but compare her own life with Gian's. While her royal birth parents had perished during the attack on Sanq when she was but a baby, Relena had somehow escaped their fate and had been taken in by the Dorlians, a rich and politically influential family. She had been given everything a spoiled, upper-class child could want, and though she hoped she had been grateful for what she'd received by doting, adopted parents, she now felt more than a little guilty in light of all the trials and deprivations this other girl, similar in age to herself, had endured.

At first she thought it odd that Gian didn't appear to resent carrying a child of rape in her womb. Instead the girl seemed content and actually looked forward to having the baby. Considering their circumstances, Relena asked the mother-to-be if she feared bringing a baby into an world of hunger and uncertainty. Gian smiled as she lowered her gaze to her round belly. With a hand gently stroking the large swell, she answered, "This babe is a blessin'." And then with a small, sweet smile she added, "Now I won't be alone anymore."

A snort drew Relena's thoughts away from Gian to Rida Darbro. The older woman was hard on the eyes and her sometimes unintelligible mumbling was difficult to comprehend, but Relena found her to be a simple and gentle soul. Rida loved stories, and because there was rarely anything else to do she had read out loud to eager listener. The older woman's face would more often than not go slack and her eyes would close while she listened to each and every word being read. Relena could only think that Rida, her life and experiences limited to L2, was trying to imagine the scenes being read, equating what she knew into the stories often depicting life on a planet that she'd never visited, other than in written word.

Rida didn't talk about her life before the embargo. The woman seemed to live each day as it came and consigned her yesterdays to the past, not to be revisited or discussed. It was something Relena found hard to accept, but after seeing a look of contentment in the older woman's eyes as she read to her, she began to think that Rida's lapse of memory was a coping mechanism, a way to deal with a very unpleasant reality. Having come to that conclusion, Relena left off asking the others about their pasts, realizing that the recollection was probably painful to them.

Yes, her view of her roommates had certainly changed since her arrival on L2. During those first few days she'd been unable to comprehend how a group of people could allow themselves to sink so low as to live like they did. But after listening to the other four speak of their lives, of how they had been shaped by this colony's political and social climate, she began to understand that circumstances had a lot to do with how people lived rather than it being the result of being weak and unwilling to make things better. Her own naivete and former ignorance of the situation here had blinded Relena to the suffering of L2. But no more. She now had faces and names that went with the words starvation and depravation, and she was almost certain that she would never be the same for the experiences she'd had on this seemingly forgotten colony. Reluctantly, she admitted to herself that she would not have had this unusual and harsh education had she not been kidnaped and forced to live as just another unfortunate citizen of L2. For whatever reason she'd been brought here, to live and suffer and starve with everyone else, Relena hoped she would be able to strong enough to endure whatever was to come with the same grace, kindness and fortitude her roommates displayed on a daily basis. With any luck and a bit of effort, she might come out of this experience not only alive, but a better, stronger person.

**Chapter 29**

Wufei

Wufei Chang sat stiffly in the leather chair facing the Preventors' Director. He concentrated on projecting the picture of stoic patience while his boss once again read over his scathing and detailed report on L2, written after his and Agent Barton's brief stay on that colony. Taking the moment to observe Lady Une, he thought her similar to himself and his former comrades in one respect; she seemed older and by far wiser than other men and women of a similar age. At thirty, Director Une was a disciplined, organized task master, who was steadfastly determined to carry out the UEC's goals of maintaining peace. He noted the slight wrinkle forming between her narrowed eyes as she flipped over yet another page and continued reading, obviously not pleased by the report's contents. Spread across her desk were the original color photographs he'd handed to her moments ago, each one revealing the atrocious conditions within L2, truly saying more visually than the lengthy report she was now reading.

Ten minutes passed with only the turning of pages interruped the silence. Finally, after the last line had been read, the brunet woman closed the folder and set it down on her desk. Another full minute passed before her eyes rose to meet the steady gaze of the agent sitting across her desk. She was now ready to address the report.

"This reads more like a condemnation of the UEC than your normal cut and dry statement of evidence and conclusions, Agent Chang."

"I believe it is," he answered cooly, his gaze never wavering.

"It is interesting, however," she began, picking up one of the pictures. Wufei caught a glimpse of the photo and determined it to be the one showing the food distribution center and the line of starving people lined up in front of it. "That this lawless colony seems to have found some order during their time of crisis."

"That order was born out of necessity because of the desperate state of affairs our government has caused those suffering people," Wufei said with a frown. "There is no excuse for what the UEC is subjecting those men, women and children to. You can see for yourself in the pictures Agent Barton took of the deplorable living conditions they are forced to live in. As a group, the colony has sidestepped starvation by creating a system of food and water distribution as well as order, and they continue to survive by hanging onto the hope that their nightmare will soon end."

"And it's your opinion that these marauders, who have been attacking supply shuttles for the past couple of years, have been giving their stolen goods to the colony?"

"The colonists we spoke to became hesitant about speaking with us when the topic of their food supply came up, other than their caustic condemnation of the UEC for the embargo. Even if they had any knowledge about where the food was coming from or who delivered it, which I'm not certain the majority of them do, they're grateful enough to their benefactors to remain silent, protecting them and thereby ensuring the continuation of the much needed supplies. I have no physical proof that the marauders are doing this, but I strongly suspect that is exactly what's going on. The goods they've taken have not shown up on any other colony. But without proof, my theory remains conjecture only. Yet I would ask you who else but these marauders, with their cloaked ship, could sneak past the UEC's barricade that is set up around L2?"

The director clasped her hands together, her index fingers forming a steeple upon which she rested her chin as she contemplated the subject further. "You've had no luck in finding the marauders' base?"

"No," Wufei replied with a frown. "Heero and I have discussed certain possibilities, and he's trying to locate the original engineer of the stealth system used in Deathscythe during the wars."

"Howard."

"Yes, but he's having little to no luck finding the man." Wufei then explained further. "The Sweepers are a close, tight-lipped society, and we're having little success in getting anything out of them."

"You've contacted Duo Maxwell about this?"

"Of course, but he and Howard have had little to do with each other since the war ended. A falling out seems to have occurred after Duo blew up his gundam, which was engineered by Howard."

Lowering her hands to her desk, the director looked thoughtful for a moment before speaking again. "You commend the marauders in your report."

"Yes."

"You do realize that you're compromising your position here in the Preventers by making such a statement?"

"Perhaps. I am a Preventer, but first and foremost I'm a man with a conscience. How can I condemn in words the actions of men willing to risk their lives and freedom for a group of people who cannot defend or provide for themselves? My former comrades and I stood up for our otherwise defenseless colonies each and every time we climbed inside our gundams and fought to free them from the Federation and then the Alliance's tyranny. I would prove myself a hypocrite if I should now condemn the same actions of other men."

"Your duty then conflicts with your conscience."

There was a long pause as Wufei considered his reply. To agree with her statement could mean his removal from not only the case, but also from his position. "After seeing the suffering taking place on L2, I find myself questioning of the validity of the embargo. Why is it in place? With the evidence I've gathered it's clear that order had been established on L2 and that the supplies being sent there are woefully inadequate. Why is that the case? Thousands have died because of the embargo alone. How many more will die before someone takes a stand and does something? I submit to you, Director Une, that the marauders are doing just that. They are helping those who have no one else to turn to and no means available for them to tell anyone of their plight."

Leaning forward in his chair, Wufei looked directly into his superior's eyes. "Why is it that there has been no official reporting or follow-up on L2? While insufficient humanitarian aid is being sent by the UEC, apparently no official ferret out have been delivered in regards to the deteriorating population or improved, non-violent conditions within the colony. Again, I ask you why? And I'd also like to know the reasons for the UEC's disregard and brutal treatment of L2, which is not only atrocious and goes against reason, but it's also immoral."

"Ours is not to question why, Agent Chang," the director replied with a grave expression. "We are the protectors of peace and answerable to the UEC government."

"As a citizen of the UEC I have the right to question the actions of our leaders, especially when they prove detrimental to other citizens, such as those trapped on L2. How can anyone justify starving of old women and men, of mothers carrying babies and especially the little children? It's not right, and after what I've seen I cannot sit idly by and do nothing."

"Of course you can't," the director said as she rubbed her red-shot eyes. "But regardless of your feelings about this matter, I must remind you that you are a Preventer and have a job to perform."

Wufei tried to hide how startled he was by her last statement. He had been prepared to have her ask for his resignation after she'd read his report. "What do you mean?" he asked cautiously.

"I want you to return to space and continue your assignment, to ferret out and arrest these marauders." She held up her hand after sensing he was about to protest. "Whether or not this group of bandits are modern-day Robin Hoods, they are still breaking the law and must be brought to justice."

Seeing his frown, she continued. "Consider this, Wufei. If your hunch is true, that these thieves are supplying L2 with the stolen goods, then once the marauders are brought to trial every atrocity on L2 will become a matter of public record. As Director, I'm bound by orders and guidelines for how to operate and maintain this organization. My orders come from persons higher up in the government chain. Like you, I am bound by duty and my hands are tied to an extent in investigating and exposing the government's reasoning behind the embargo, despite my own concerns. I cannot allow your report nor your condemnation of the UEC to be used to sway public opinion. But a trial, conducted openly in court and reported on by the press here and throughout the colonies, will not only bring to light what has been going on, but will no doubt initiate an official investigation as to what is behind the embargo and the sorry lack of supplies to a distressed colony. I can't think of a more effective way to bring this matter out in the open than finding the marauders and putting them on trial for all the UEC's citizens to view, and more importantly, hear."

Wufei contemplated her suggestion for several minutes. He really hadn't thought Director Une would call a press conference and relay an account of his report. That would be political suicide for her job and perhaps for the Preventer organization as well. But a well-televised trial would certainly bring out the motive behind the marauder's charitable acts. The only alternative would be to take a copy of his findings and the images captured by Trowa and give them to a reputable news agency and hope for the best. Losing his job was an acceptable loss in return for the sympathy and aid such actions might bring to the hungry people on L2, but the suspicious shadow his actions might cast on the Preventer organization was not something he could take lightly.

"I'll return to space... for now," he stated. If he didn't uncover any leads on the elusive bandits, then he'd fall back to his secondary plan of giving his report and pictures to a news agency.

He watched as the woman behind the desk picked up another of the many pictures spread out before her. The one in her hand now showed one of the children who had braved entering the building where he and Trowa had camped in order to get some extra food. His wide smile showed a lack of dental care and his eyes were devoid of the light and happiness most children bore. The gaunt face was that of a malnourished child. "It breaks your heart, doesn't it?" Une whispered, not unaffected by the plight of the children at least.

"It does," he replied. "But it also furthers my resolve to do something about this." He reached out his hand for the photo and after a moment, she handed it to him. "I'll keep this with me in order to remind me why haste is necessary. This child, and others like him, won't last much longer, even with the added supplies given to the colony by the marauders."

"I'll see what I can do on my end, speak to my superiors about your report," the director said, her eyes still fixed on the many faces of L2 strewn across her desk.

Wufei stood from his chair, but as a second thought came to him he asked, "Are there any new leads on Relena's case?"

"None."

Suddenly, as if he'd put on glasses that fine-tuned his vision, Wufei could see the slight slump in the young woman's shoulders, the look of fatigue and weariness on her face. No doubt she was being pressured on all sides to have both Relena's case and that of the marauders brought to a satisfactory conclusion. He felt sympathy for his boss, and a bit guilty that he was glad not to be sitting in her place.

"I'll keep in touch," was all he could think come up with in reply. Turning about, he left her and began to mentally prepare for his departure from Earth once again.

TBC


	30. Chapter 30

**Lies Between Friends and Lovers  
CHAPTER 30**

One week had passed since Relena's attempt to escape L2 had failed, and to her it seemed like the longest week of her entire life. She shifted her stance. Her legs hurt, and it felt like hours had passed since she first arrived at the distribution center and took her place in line with all the others assigned to receive their food allotment that day. She felt weak and dizzy and was desperately hungry from the lack of food; but all of those ailments would be remedied soon. Today she would receive her regular share of food and water for the coming week. After having a third of her rations cut the previous week – her punishment for disobeying the Guardian's order to remain in the apartment – the anticipation of having that much food had her feeling almost giddy, that is if she could actually manage to dredge up enough energy to feel something other than famished. She had never known this kind of hunger before, where her body felt as if it was about to cave in on itself.

The atmosphere around her was somber and morose as a funeral gathering or some other such morbid event, given the silence and languor of those standing in line with her. Their lackluster and sunken eyes, set in gaunt faces with cheek bones protruding unnaturally, gave the men and women the appearance of being living skeletons rather than that of human beings.

The line inched forward once more and she wondered what in the world was taking so long? Yet each step she took, every increment of progression, brought her that much closer to the front door. She was desperate to get through that door, and it seemed to be taking forever. Hunger, the desperate hunger she'd been feeling for the past few days, seemed to cause each and every hour of the waking day to stretch out in a slow, agonizing manner.

She cast a glance to the front window of the building, hoping the line inside was shorter. Her breath hitched and a small, horrified gasp escaped her after she caught a glimpse of her reflection. At first she hadn't recognized herself, but now that she did she couldn't get over the fact that she looked as pitiful and desperate as everyone else on L2. Seeing herself like that made her realize she might not survive her kidnaping, that L2 and starvation might be the death of her. Her body trembled with fear at that thought.

A hand reached out to steady her as she began lost her balance. "Hold on. Almost there." It was Kirk's gentle voice whispering reassurances to her.

"I'm going to die here, aren't I?" she asked, her voice quivering with emotion.

"Only if you give up," the haggard looking man replied bluntly. "L2 has never been for the weak." Kirk's brown eyes, framed by thick and long black eyelashes, momentarily held Relena's attention. "Do you want to die?"

It took a long moment before she shook her head. "It's just that I'm so hungry," she replied, her voice barely a whisper.

"We're all hungry. In fact, I can't remember when I didn't feel this way," he replied with a woeful expression.

Then Kirk's eyes narrowed and he looked at her as if he were searching her soul. "There must be something or someone you want to live for. Family? A boyfriend? Think of them when you feel like giving up. Either that or get mad as hell about what's happenin' here. Be angry for everyone who's died here from disease or hunger and center that anger on the UEC for causing our misery. Join us in wanting to tell those bastards in charge to stick their blockade up their elected arses."

"I have a brother," Relena said quietly, thinking about Milliardo, the brother she hadn't known about until after the first war had begun. They had mended their relationship after the second war and she'd truly come to love him as her brother and only living blood relative.

Kirk nodded. "Then make him your reason for living."

The line inched up and with Kirk's hand still firmly clasped on her elbow, Relena took two steps forward. "This isn't fair," she whispered under her breath.

"Who said life is fair?"

She turned to look at Kirk only to see disappointment in his gaze. "I'm sorry," she quickly apologized. "I'm whining again, aren't I?" He didn't answer, but took another half step forward, coming that much closer to the open doorway. "I'll try to do better," she said, hoping she had it in her to do so.

"We're all in this together," Kirk stated, his eyes shifting towards the door before coming back to rest on her face. "Eventually, we'll either live or die on this colony. Complaining doesn't get much done around here, other than to make other people more miserable and aware of their own suffering."

Relena nodded. She really did understand, and in that moment she vowed to herself to quit complaining. So what if she was hungry? Everyone on L2 was just as hungry as she was. She was finally coming to feel like she was truly one of them now. No longer was she a person of wealth or influence, a celebrity of sorts. She was just another hungry and desperate soul hoping to survive living on L2. She really only had two choices: she could sit down and cry about what had happened to her, or she could strengthen her resolve and do everything within her power to survive. Looking at the man at her side, still supporting her, she asked with genuine curiosity, "What do you use for motivation to survive, Kirk?"

"Revenge, that's what keeps me going, as well as my own stubbornness to defy a bully. If I could get my hands on those who are behind all this," he motioned out with his scrawny arm to indicate the decrepit colony, "I'd kill them with my bare hands."

"Though I like to think of myself as a pacifist, I'm beginning to believe that I would also like for them to suffer," Relena said in return.

"That's it, girly," Kirk gave her a decayed-tooth smile of approval. "You get mad, survive this hell and then get even. That's as good a survival plan as any, and it sounds a hellofa lot like my own."

"Sounds good." Surprisingly, the anger and frustration that had welled up inside of her seemed to be buoying up her energy and renewed her determination to survive.

They didn't speak for a long while, which gave Relena a chance to think. She recalled sitting in her office in her oh-so-soft executive chair and surrounded by polished wood, enjoying central heating or the air conditioning, as needed, a refrigerator stocked with both food and drinks while she'd read the many documents contained within the thick binder marked L2 Sanctions. How easily she'd believed the words that provided a list of reasons for the embargo on L2. She had voted in favor of the resolution calling for a blockade, as had many of those in the assembly. With a majority vote the UEC government thought they'd taken step towards convincing L2 to turn away from anarchy. Like many of her political colleagues, she had taken as fact the detailed report on L2 about gangs and an environment of anarchy, which made it impossible for ships to land safely on that colony to conduct their business. It seemed logical at the time to contain the lawless colony until things settled down and changed, but she never would have believed that the blockade would result in people starving to death. It was no wonder those still alive on L2 seemed to hate the UEC, because she too was coming to have a strong resentment towards the politicians who brought about such intentional misery. It sickened her to know that she was one of them. If she ever got back to Earth she'd...

"Got your card?" Kirk asked as they moved another step closer to the doorway.

Holding up the battered card, of which she had little doubt that had been taken from another person who was no longer suffering from starvation, Relena stared at the large F written with black marker on one side, then turned it over to reveal the number 3, indicating that she had no one but herself to take care of. She recalled Rida telling her that children and pregnant women were given a number 1 designation, first priority for food. Parents of those children had the rank of 2 on their cards, and single people, like herself, were given the number 3 card, meaning that no one was dependant of them and they got whatever was left over.

What would she do if she got to the front of the line and there was no food left? The idea terrified her, especially after Rida informed her that such a thing had happened quite often at the beginning of the embargo. The UEC had indeed sent humanitarian supplies to them once a month, but from what her roommates had said there had always been a shortfall. She'd been told that the first few months of the embargo had been nothing short of hell within the colony's walls, that people fought and often killed for food and water. Apparently the worst of L2's less than savory citizens had killed each other off during that time, with only a few remaining.

Then one day things changed, or so she'd been told, though it sounded more like a fairytale than reality. A ship had come to the colony, a black ghost of a ship that carried food and medical supplies, but there had been conditions attached to the much needed cargo. A meeting was called and the men and women who controlled certain gangs in the colony as well as every other adult on the colony were gathered together to "talk". That's when Rida said things had really changed. Some of the ruthless gang leaders, those who had survived the initial wars over food, who had caused so much pain and suffering, were reportedly spaced by their fellow L2 citizens, with the help of the newcomers. Under the direction of their mysterious benefactors, a number of citizens were called upon to organized themselves into a group of peacekeepers. They called their group the Guardians. The goals of this group were to keep order, see that food was apportioned properly, and to protect the innocent. Distribution centers were immediately set up in different locations within L2, where the food and necessities delivered frequently by these off-colony strangers were allocated. Rida's eyes had glowed with something close to worshipful awe as she spoke of the colony's unexpected saviors. The reason for there being any people left alive on L2 after all this time was attributed to that unidentified ship, its crew and the regular supply shipments they delivered.

Another step forward and Relena found herself only two feet away from the open door. She licked her chapped lips and folded her arms tightly around her flat, aching stomach, anticipating her next meal. She'd have to be careful, she firmly reminded herself, not to eat more than she should, spreading out her allotment of food in order to make it last until the following Friday. Another week of hunger, such as the one she'd just endured, was more than she could bear to think about.

Hearing a sniffle from behind her, she glanced over her shoulder to see an older woman standing behind a silent, vacantly staring Rida. A tear escaped the woman's faded eyes even while they remained fixed on the doorway just ahead. Seeing the desperation on the elderly woman's face caused Relena to feel ashamed of herself. Here's she'd been thinking only of her self, and it was quite evident that she wasn't the only one suffering. Every person in the line she was standing in was hungry. The need to cry was almost overwhelming, but yet again she refused to allow herself to give into tears. She had to be strong, stronger than she felt at the moment.

Milliardo. She closed her eyes and imagined her brother, just as Kirk had suggested. She could see in her mind's eyes the worry that would be etched on his handsome face as he wondered what had happened to her. She would get back to Earth, she determined, straightening her spine as she came to that decision. No one would say, after hearing of her experience here, that she acted like a weak female and cried about being hungry when everyone else around her had struggled for years to survive. What would Herro, Dorothy or any one of a dozen people who had sacrificed during the wars say if they knew she'd almost given up? No, she wouldn't be able to face anyone if she didn't comport herself as a true Peacecraft, a survivor against all odds.

She thought again of the man she'd caught only a glimpse of the week before. Trowa Barton, Preventer and former gundam pilot. What had he been doing on this colony? Though he'd been too far away for her to see any sign of recognition in his eyes, she hoped that even if he hadn't recognized her, some kind of recognition might come as he thought back on the woman who had called out to him in need. Surely he had heard her call out, but then why hadn't he come to investigate? Questions began to multiply in her head, yet no answers came to mind. Perhaps one day she'd be able to ask Trowa about that day and appease her curiosity.

It was almost a relief to step past the threshold of the distribution center and enter the stuffy room. It smelled of bad hygiene. Then again, she thought, what was good hygiene compared to the promise of your next meal?

It was several minutes later that her attention was captured by someone entering the room. A small woman, whom she guessed was about her own age and with black hair, had just stepped out of a curtained doorway on the opposite end of the room, behind the make-shift counter. Despite the altered appearance, she thought she recognized the girl she'd met during the first Eve War. It took another moment before a name popped into her head, matching it with the memory of what the girl had looked like before. It was Hilde Schweibecker, the colony-born, teenage freedom fighter she'd met aboard Libra. She'd learned later that Hilde had taken word of her presence on that ship to the gundam pilots, which precipitated Heero's arrival in an attempt to rescue her from her brother.

Somehow, Relena managed to contain her excitement at seeing someone she knew until she was in closer proximity to the counter. She waited until Hilde finally moved closer to her position in line before she called out the other girl's name. Large blue eyes made more prominent by starvation shot up and recognition flashed within them. Hilde looked shocked when she asked, "What the hell are you doing here?" Relena tried to smile as she held up her card, displaying that this was her day to get her food allotment.

"Holy shit!" A look of understanding then flickered in the other young woman's blue eyes, and Relena could only guess what it was that Hilde had realized.

A spark of hope flickered to life within Relena's heart. Maybe she could appeal to Hilde for help. If she could manage to get a position at the Distribution station she might be able to make contact with whoever was bringing their supplies. Perhaps Hilde knew of a way to get word off the colony and back to Earth. Yet as quickly as hope had replaced her despair, it was just as rapidly dashed when the other young woman gave her a sad frown and shook her head before turning away, resuming her work. Like everyone else in line, Relena was left to wait until it was her turn and, from Hilde's dismissal, she'd not expect any preferential treatment, even from an old acquaintance.

TBC

Note: With any luck I'll post another chapter this weekend. Heero and Duo are up next and it's date night.


	31. Chapter 31

Lies Between Friends and Lovers  
Chapter 31

The View was an apt name for the restaurant located on the top floor of The Orbiter Hotel. The clear and thick synthetic dome that covered the top of the building allowed a spectacular view of space. Presently on the dark side of the moon, the shield doors had been opened so that the beauty of space and the dots of light laced throughout the dark expanse could be seen and appreciated. To the far right, a small section of Earth was visible, and yet even that small portion of the planet seemed enormous from this vantage point, and breathtaking.

Heero checked his watch for the fifth time, noting that Duo should be arriving any moment, that is if the other man was on time. Shuttle departure and arrivals, he knew, were often delayed by the planet's atmospheric conditions. He had checked his computer before leaving his room and knew that the shuttle port in Florida had experienced some delays due to thunder storms, so it was a very real possibility that Duo would be late.

Soft music played in the background while other diners, most likely also guests of the hotel, ordered and ate their expensive meals. With a food and wine menu in front of him, Heero found it hard to concentrate; his mind preoccupied with thoughts of the long-haired man. The image that kept popping up in his head was of Duo standing in the doorway of his apartment wearing that damned satin, poor excuse for nightwear that had caused his heartbeat to race. Anticipating seeing the braided man again left him feeling both excited and nervous. It was a feeling similar to what he'd experienced piloting Wing into battle.

He wondered, and not for the first time since he began his journey to the moon, if meeting up with Duo was something he was truly ready for, even though he was quite anxious to see the other man again. During the past couple of years he'd been very successful at pushing his memories of the handsome American into the far recesses of his mind, allowing himself only short glimpses of a past that was filled with regrets.

His and Duo's past relationship had been turbulent at times, and yet fulfilling, emotionally as well as sexually. One of the main reasons for any discord between them back then had been his inability to let go of his training, a fact that had frustrated the both of them. But regardless of any past dissension, he could never deny that he had fallen in love with his comrade in arms.

His initial fascination Duo began not only because of the long-hair boy's physical appeal, but from the American's ability to be spontaneous, to act upon instincts honed by living on the streets of L2, and displaying his deadly fighting skills whenever the occasion called for them. Duo's mind was sharp and he was clever. He was also competitive, something Heero found strangely attractive. The other boy always seemed come up with a devilish grin even under the most direst of circumstances, such as facing an insurmountable number of enemy mobile suits in battle.

It was after their relationship had ended that he'd come to understand that he'd been like a leech, sucking up everything the other boy had freely given without giving much in return. Sure, the sex had been great, but Duo craved another form of closeness, an intimacy that didn't have anything to do with sex. One night, as they'd lay in Heero's bed with their arms and legs entwined, the orphaned boy from L2 had confessed to him that he hoped one day to have not only a lover, but also a partner in life, someone who was a part of his everyday existence, someone who would never leave him. Duo had whispered in his ear that he hoped Heero would choose to be that "someone".

With his emotions nearly trained out of him by Dr. J, Heero had considered himself an odd choice for Duo to begin a relationship with. Even from the onset of their affair, after the first time they'd experimented with sex, he'd disappointed the other boy by leaving a few minutes later for a mission. It was a precursor for how their relationship would continue during the war. They were more often than not sent in opposite directions when their mission assignments came in, which meant they had to steal moments to be together. And when they did manage to end up in the same place, they often engaged in frantic copulation before being separated once more by necessity. Those brief encounters ultimately left both of them wanting more.

After the first war, Heero had taken off to "find himself", or at least try to figure out what he was going to do with a life he never really considered having, believing he would not survive the war. After several months of wandering Earth, he came to the realization that Duo Maxwell could not be dismissed as a war-time fling, nor just a convenient partner for his sexual release. He'd found himself missing his former lover and couldn't stop thinking about him. Once he'd made up his mind that he wanted to tackle his future with Duo by his side, it took only a couple of days for him to track his former lover down. He located him on L2, working at a junk yard with Hilde Schweibecker, the girl who had helped him during the war.

Duo was surprised but definitely not unhappy about his sudden appearance at his door. After several days of catching up, their physical relationship resumed in a most satisfactory way. They made progress as a couple, learning over the months that passed to cohabitate with each other on a daily basis and to communicate better. He made progress during that time in overcoming some of his training, and he'd been happier than he could ever remember being.

Then a year after the war had ended news reached them that Relena had been kidnaped, and from that moment on their lives changed in ways they'd never imagined. It began yet another dark time in Heero's life, something he didn't like to think about very often, if at all.

After recuperating from the injuries he'd sustained in the last battle, he and Duo had gotten an apartment on Earth, and then came the discussion as to what they wanted to do with the rest of their lives. Their meeting with Wufei and Une had begun the countdown to their nightmarish breakup. Everything they had overcome and built together had come to an end after the arguments began about joining Preventers and eventually Zero's influence had taken hold of him. He knew, after his vision cleared on that last, horrible day, and he saw Duo on the floor, his face unrecognizable from the beating it had taken, that he'd ruined any chance for sharing his life with the other man.

Duo disappeared after that day, and Heero had never blamed him for that act of self preservation. It was nearly two years later when he first saw the American's face smiling seductively from the cover of a well-known magazine. After staring for at least five minutes at the photograph in utter disbelief, he purchased the issue from the corner newsstand, in spite of it being a fashion magazine normally purchased by women. He took his purchase home and studied the photographs of his former lover as he modeled a line of men's clothing. He eventually wore out the pages from repeatedly searching every detail of Duo's face and body, looking for evidence of the brutal beating the other man had received by his hands.

From that first glimpse of Duo on the cover of that magazine, it seemed the former gundam pilot was a constant presence on the newsstands, either a featured model for one line of clothing or another or an object of gossip for the tabloids. His popularity as a model skyrocketed once the press and public realized the handsome young man had been the teenage gundam pilot who had been the first to be captured in space. The image that had been imprinted on those viewing the broadcast throughout the colonies and Earth was of an unconscious teenager, small and slender in build with a long braid of burnished brown hair and dressed all in black being dragged out of his gundam by a couple of OZ soldiers.

With the war now five years past and a forgiving public that was enamored with the handsome former pilot, television entertainment news followed Duo to every public appearance. The paparazzi had even dubbed him their most photogenic, sought after subject. Duo's rise to stardom seemed to have happened almost overnight, and his popularity hadn't diminished over the years, despite his history as a rebel fighter from L2. In fact, his past seemed to make Dup all the more mysterious and noteworthy to his adoring fans.

During this same time, when Duo was rising in celebrity, Heero had tried to move on, dating once in a while and engaging in a couple of very short-term relationships. Yet no one he'd met had come close to matching the passion he'd shared with Duo Maxwell. Neither male nor female interests had lasted long. No one had challenged him or understood him like Duo had. Typically, those he'd associated with, other than his former comrades and Director Une, regarded him with either awe or fear, neither one a good foundation for a healthy relationship.

He glanced at his watch again. Duo was now ten minutes late. He was beginning to wonder if he was even coming. What would he do if he didn't show up, if he was stood up? Just as worry began to replace his nervousness, Heero glanced towards the entry, just in time to see the most striking man he'd ever seen stroll casually into the restaurant. Wearing black fitted jeans, a white button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms and a jet-black jacket slung casually over his right shoulder, the man with the white spiked hair and tinted glasses paused to scan the room. Even with the wig and blue tinted glasses, obviously worn in an effort to disguise himself, Heero recognized his former lover. Duo stood at the entrance a moment, exuding an air of confidence that was probably the sexiest attribute of all the man's wonderful assets.

And then their eyes met. Heero found unable to breathe as Duo looked his way, and the dazzling smile he gave him blinded Heero to all else. He stared unblinking at the vision approaching the table and wondered how he'd ever existed without this breathtaking Adonis in his life.

___________________________________

Target acquired. Duo grinned at the devilishly attractive man sitting at the table across the room. Although he'd always considered Heero a knock-out before, the man had only gotten better looking over the years.

Even as he met his dinner date's gaze, he made a quick tally of the changes in the man from the boy he'd known. Still fit as ever, Heero's once reed-thin yet muscular teenage body had most definitely acquired a man's form. Though still slender and strong, there was a physical maturity now that had caught up to the mental state of the serious-minded man. Heero's eyes lit up with recognition, seeing past the wig and tinted glasses. There was something so attractive about that small smile, which represented both the other man's pleasure at seeing him and maybe just a hint of uncertainty.

Though Heero almost always exuded an air of confidence and possessed the ability to be single minded when the need presented itself, Duo was probably one of the very few people who knew how often Heero, because of his training, had questioned his emotions and worried about how he could possibly fit into the world as a normal, functional citizen. Those inner conflicts, along with the boy's uncommon good looks and the mystery he presented had initially drawn Duo to the former Wing pilot during the war. That fascination continued to this day. Despite the years they'd been apart, Heero Yuy, by way of dress and outward appearance, especially that knee-melting smile, still exuded self-confidence and mystery. But in his eyes Duo could detect a hint of uneasiness, a hint of worry at his approach that made him seem vulnerable, which made him even more irresistible.

He met the other man's gaze straight on. He had shared similar experiences in his youth as Heero, being dedicated to the cause of freedom and wondering if he had a place in the world other than being a terrorist. Despite everything he'd gone through since the wars, he was also stronger and more confident now than he'd ever been, both physically and emotionally. He was less needy and insecure about himself and his place in the post-war world.

Heero was now smiling openly at him. Duo's breath caught in his throat and his heart sped up as a result of that simple gesture. Forget Helen of Troy, he thought, it was Heero's damned smile that could launch a thousand ships. He could see from the other man's gaze how important this rendezvous was to him, and he hoped Heero could read the same in his face.

After pausing to whisper to the wide-eyed hostess that he was joining someone already seated, he strolled as nonchalantly as possible towards the handsome Japanese man. He couldn't help but wonder where this night would lead, and then as a second thought he reminded himself to tread carefully. Knowing how Heero's mind used to work, he knew the other man could piece together bits of information and come up with a completed puzzle. He had to keep Heero from finding out that he was hiding something from him. Too many lives depended on him, and keeping the Preventers out of his clandestine business was paramount to his continuing to help those in need.

"Hey," he greeted the dark-haired man as he reached the table for two, set at the rim of the building with a view of the moonscape and space. His eyes strayed for a moment to the spectacular panorama the clear domed room offered. The planet below, while only partially in view, was visually stunning. "Wow, isn't that a sight for sore eyes?"

"Yes, it is," Heero agreed.

When Duo's gaze returned to the other man, he could see that Heero hadn't been talking about the view; his attention was fixed on him and nothing else. Duo was used to having people stare at him, photographing him at work and on the streets and handing out compliments about his appearance by the shovelful, but the heated stare of this one man caused him to feel flattered beyond words as well as a rush of warmth that was no doubt a result of him blushing.

Taking his time to carefully place his jacket behind his chair and to compose himself, Duo sat down on the opposite side of the table from the other man. "Glad you could make it," he said while Heero continued to drink him in with his eyes.

"Thanks for the invitation."

"So, how are things going? Anything new on Relena's disappearance?"

Heero's smile faded as he shook his head. Duo was trying to tread into safe territory, thinking they could talk business for a while, just to break the slight nervous tension that stood between them. Heero commenced telling him about the mystery surrounding Relena's disappearance, the lack of leads and ransom demands. Duo countered that maybe she hadn't been kidnaped, a natural assumption they'd all had, at least in the beginning.

"Are you and Relena very close?" Duo wondered, curious about the relationship between them.

"We're on friendly terms, though I wouldn't call us close," Heero replied. "I was in charge of setting up the security for her home and taught her how to defend herself. Even with my best efforts and warnings she continued to find ways to slip out of the protection of her home. She's a willful woman who resents being told what she can and cannot do, though she will take direction from her brother. My work with Preventers limited the amount of time we spent together and hampered any closeness as friends we might have enjoyed, but that doesn't mean her welfare isn't important to me. Naturally, I'm worried about Relena and frustrated by the lack of leads that might shed some light on what's happened to her."

"I'm sorry, Heero," Duo said after seeing the troubled look in the other man's eyes as he spoke of Relena. "I know it probably sounds like another useless platitude, but I'm sure she's all right."

Heero nodded, his frown still in place. Duo decided it was time to change the subject and lighten the mood. "So, tell me about the other case you're working on with Wufei?"

From his expression, Duo couldn't tell whether Heero was relieved by the change in subject or not. He did, however, proceed to tell him about the investigation into the space marauders and how, like Relena, there were very few clues as to their identity. The wine steward stepped forward to make his presence known, only to be disappointed when both young men ordered non-alcoholic drinks. The waitress soon after presented herself and took their order before leaving the two men with a small loaf of fresh baked bread and garlic butter.

Heero finished telling Duo about his investigation, and the other man listened with interest and often asked questions about the case, but was careful not to push Heero for more information than he was willing to reveal. Soon the discussion turned to Duo's life. Skipping his departure from Earth with Quatre and Trowa as his protectors, as well as the surgeries he'd undergone to repair the damage Heero had caused, he spoke of meeting Sadia Winner, one of Quatre's older sisters and an aspiring clothing designer, with both money and enough talent to launch her first fashion line. One look at Duo and she insisted that he was just what she had been looking for in a male model.

Having avoided being caught on camera for most of his non law-abiding youth, Sadia and Quatre had to work quite diligently to convince him that putting together a portfolio was necessary and that this opportunity would be a good move for him into the working world, if only a temporary way to make a living. The coaxing, closer to nagging, continued until he reluctantly agreed to the photo shoot. And that had been the beginning of his modeling career.

He modeled for Sadia exclusively for six months, but then as other designers began to contact him, she gave him her blessing to pursue his new career and suggested he retain a lawyer and an agent for handling contracts. Quatre, he was assured, would act as his financial advisor, helping him to manage the ridiculous amounts of money he was being offered to pose for photographs and walking down runways.

"I settled in New York as a midpoint between fashion capitals on Earth and the colonies," Duo said as he took a piece of bread from the basket. Heero's eyes followed his hands as he gingerly pulled off the crust and began to nibble at what was left of the butter-less bread. He then continued to pull off one small piece at a time and pop it into his mouth as he continued. "The rest of my career can be found in lurid detail in every rag magazine on the news stands." The sneer on Duo's lips was meant to show Heero that he had not appreciated the attention of the news media, if that's what tabloid news could be called.

"So is there anyone special in your life?"

Duo considered that a loaded question, but it appeared that Heero was hedging to find out if there was room for him in his life. "There are a lot of people I care about," he answered with a coy smile. "But I've yet to find someone to share my life with."

Heero jumped, just slightly, when Duo's stockinged foot brushed against his ankle. The grin on Duo's face was meant to relay to the other man that the touch was deliberate, a fact that was reinforced when that same foot began to stroke his calf. Heero reached for a piece of bread and fumbled with his knife as he made an attempt to butter it, causing Duo to chuckle. It was obvious that Heero was struggling to keep his cool composure.

"What about you, Heero? Got anyone "special" in your life? Since you and Relena never hit it off, perhaps there's some hot-shot Preventer with a big gun that's caught your fancy."

As Heero looked up, Duo wiggled his eyebrows at him, causing the other man to grin and shake his head. "Sadly, no." Then sobering, Heero leaned forward so that only Duo could hear him. "I've missed you, and I'd be lying if I said I don't want you, but there are some questions I need to ask you before we go any further."

A feeling of dread centered in Duo's chest, sensing what was coming. "Go ahead and ask, but if it's about my sexual history, I'm not handing out any names."

Heero blinked, looking surprised by what he'd said and he appeared momentarily distracted from what he was going to say. Duo had an inkling that Heero was wondering who he's been with and how many lovers he'd had over the past five years. "No," the Japanese man finally managed. "It's not that, at least not yet. I'm sure Quatre has told you that I've been looking for Howard."

Duo sighed. "Yes, and you and Wufei asked me about him also."

"I just need to ask, Duo, before anything can happen between us, whether or not you know anything about the manufacture of the stealth system or the ship it was built for. Do you know anything about these marauders?"

Duo looked Heero straight in the eye, unblinking. Then, with an expression of complete innocence plastered on his face, something he'd used often as a street kid and later honed to perfection as a model, he proceeded to lie through his pearly white teeth while trying to convince himself that doing so was for the greater good.

TBC

Note: Happy Birthday, Karina, celebrating on Monday.


	32. Chapter 3233

**Lies Between Friends and Lovers  
****Chapter 32**

Wufei delayed his departure to space for another 48 hours while he waited to see whether or not Une would take any action after reading his report. He had hoped that she would try to bring about a change in policy concerning conditions on L2, either publicly or within the peace-keeping organization. To his disappointment there had been nothing in the news nor within Preventer circles to indicate any action of that sort had been taken. He could only suppose that her superiors had ordered her to keep the contents of his report sealed, for reasons he would probably never learn. The only up side had been that he hadn't been formally reprimanded for his report nor demoted.

Feeling a mixture of anger and disappointment, he packed his bags, locked his apartment and once again took the short taxi ride to the spaceport. He contacted Quatre and Trowa on his way there to inform them that he would be returning to L4 and wondered if they would be willing to accommodate him. He was weary of sterile hotel rooms and eating alone in restaurants. His friends', together on the speaker phone, enthusiastically replied that he was always welcome to stay with them, and that someone would pick him up at the spaceport. Wufei ended the call wearing a smile and thinking how pleasant it was knowing that someone actually looked forward to his arrival with genuine enthusiasm.

The flight seemed to take longer than ever, with several fussing children on board airing their complaints about space travel rather loudly. He thought that everyone on board the ship must have been as relieved as he was when the shuttle finally docked on L4. A glance at his watch showed the time to be approximately two p.m., colony time. He collected his bag and proceeded to the front terminal, where he was surprised to be met by Quatre and not Trowa or one of their hired staff.

"Welcome back, Wufei. I'm so glad you asked to stay with us," Quatre said with a pleasant grin before giving the Preventer agent a warm embrace.

"I'm surprised that you could tear yourself away from your office in the middle of the day," Wufei said as he scanned the immediate area. "Where's Trowa?"

Taking his arm, Quatre led him out of the busy terminal as he answered. "He's working on a computer problem at the office. Unless it turns out to be quite serious, he should be finished in time to join us for a late dinner."

As they rode together in Quatre's white, rather stylish commuter car through the city and towards the large home he and Trowa shared, the blond glanced at him. "Trowa filled me in about what happened on L2, what the both of you observed. If you don't mind my asking, what was Director Une's reaction to your report?"

"I'm not sure she appreciated my candor, or laying blame on the UEC for the misery the blockade has caused the citizens of L2." He frowned as he recalled the conversation with the director. " She appeared as shocked as Trowa and I were by the conditions that colony is forced to live with. She also seemed unaware of the fact that the supplies being sent by the UEC are deplorably inadequate."

"Will she be able to do anything about the situation?"

With a sigh, Wufei shook his head. "She said she'd try, but her hands are tied by regulations and bureaucrats who hold the reins of power over the Preventer organization." He thought he misheard the blond after hearing a barely uttered, "Damn," escape lips that rarely used profanity.

Contemplating his fair haired friend from the corner of his eye as the small sporty car continued to weave through the traffic moving through the busy streets, he noted that while Quatre's face appeared calm, the down turned corners of his mouth and slant of his eyebrows spoke of how much the news of Une's inability to help the situation displeased him. "You're upset," he observed out loud.

Again Quatre glanced his way, their eyes meeting for a moment before the blond looked away again in order to concentrate on the road. "Yes, but like I said before, Trowa told me what he'd seen on L2. I never would have believed any colony would have to go through that kind of mistreatment after we overthrew the Alliance. If the UEC can do that to L2, what's to stop them from imposing sanctions on any other space colony that goes against their ideals?"

"If you could help the people of L2, would you?"

Despite the fact that Quatre was dressed in a grey business suit, including a proper jacket, Wufei detected the minute stiffening of the other man's shoulders. After a long thoughtful pause, the blond answered his question. "Certainly, I would do what I could but I do have a family, a business and a name to protect. I wouldn't do anything that might jeopardize them or sully their reputation."

Wufei wondered at the somewhat ambiguous answer. "So you would work inside the law, not in any illegal manner?"

"Of course," Quatre replied. "But the UEC has shown that it doesn't respect the opinion of a concerned citizen or even that of a member of a prominent family on L4. I've done my best to talk sense into them, Wufei, to the point of pleading with various representatives to take steps to end the embargo and blockade, but my words and pleading seem to fall on deaf ears and calloused hearts."

"They know, of course, that you and Trowa were also gundam pilots. That didn't carry any weight?"

The blond head shook slightly. "No. Oh, they show proper respect, at least those who don't have a grudge against us do, but after listening to what I had to say they simply replied that there was nothing they could do until they see some change on L2 or receive a petition from that colony indicating they wish to negotiate."

Quatre swerved abruptly to miss a stopped car and the tires of his own vehicle screeched as he slammed on the brakes. The small car fishtailed slightly before swerving to the right and coming to a complete stop. Having just averted a collision seemed to the be last thing on the blond's mind when he turned to his passenger with anger blazing in his eyes. "But we both know that's a crock of shit, don't we, Wufei? They can't 'see' any change on L2 if they don't send unbiased observers. And a petition to the UEC can't be received because they've cut off all means of communication with the colony. No one but a select few, handpicked by the committee in charge, are allowed off the ship that delivers the insufficient supply of rations. The UEC has turned a deaf ear and blind eye to the suffering it has caused the people of L2. Does that not smack of injustice, Wufei, of a corruption so deep that it's going to take a major scandal to shake things up and bring to light the reasons for the sanctions and why the citizens of L2 are being exterminated?"

Wufei had rarely seen his friend so worked up. Quatre's face was flushed and his hands were shaking as they tightly gripped the steering wheel. The man seemed totally unaware of the honking of car and truck horns all around them and the shouts from many unhappy drivers voicing their outrage at having a car in front of them parked at a full stop while the green traffic light went ignored.

"We should move," he calmly told the blond.

Quatre blinked, then flushed with embarrassment. The moment the car was in motion again, the driver cleared his throat and said in a calmer voice. "I'm sorry. I got a bit carried away, didn't I?"

"It's a subject that's becoming more difficult to remain neutral about," Wufei admitted.

Quatre turned on the radio then, giving both men time to think about the topic of their conversation. Without speaking further, they continued their short journey towards the Winner-Barton home.

Once again, Wufei found Quatre to be a genial host. He was shown to his room and invited to make himself at home, to take a bath and nap if he wanted to refresh himself before dinner. Quatre excused himself, saying he'd brought some work home with him and that he'd be in his office downstairs if Wufei needed anything at all.

The Preventer accepted the gracious offer, allowing himself to give into the temptation of a luxuriously long soak in the large bathtub. It was a rarity to indulge in such a frivolous pastime, but he'd found in the past that meditating in a hot bath often brought him a measure of peace and clarity.

Wearing a white robe that had been provided for his use by Quatre, he left the moist and heated bathroom and moved to his bed with the intention of taking a nap. Just as he got settled and closed his eyes, his cell phone rang. With an exasperated huff he leaned over and picked it up from the bedside table and answered the call.

Two minutes later, he flipped the phone closed and stared at the white ceiling above the bed. Another marauder attack had been reported. This one came only days behind the last one, when Heero had been on L4. What had caused the thieves to step up their normal pace of attacks? If Trowa was home, he would ask the part-time Preventer to join him in interviewing the crew of the Mary Sue, which was presently en route to L3.

Wait a minute. Wufei sat up in the bed, his mind locking onto an unusual thought. Trowa had also been absent when Heero received word about a marauder attack. He recalled that Quatre and Trowa didn't like to spend time away from each other, but it seemed that they did, and more frequently than anyone would have guessed. It struck him as odd that Trowa, a self-proclaimed homebody, had apparently been gone from said home on several occasions, his absence strangely coinciding with marauder attacks. Could it be more than just a coincidence? he wondered.

For some reason he couldn't let go of the thought of Trowa being something other than what he presented, even after chastising himself for doubting his friends. The idea that Trowa might somehow be involved with the marauders plagued Wufei and led his thoughts into previously unchartered paths, including suspicion. Well, he countered, suspicions could be laid to rest quite easily, that is if the person in question had a verifiable alibi. He had no doubt that Trowa would have one ready, if he were questioned. Quatre had already supplied him with an alibi for today, that there had been computer problems to solve at the office. It appeared he would need to do a little checking on his own, just to ease the suspicions he had towards his two former comrades.

He made up his mind. He'd delay the trip to L3 where he was scheduled to interview the crew of the latest shuttle boarded by the marauders, but just long enough to have dinner with Quatre and his elusive lover.

TBC

Lies Between Friends and Lovers

**Chapter 33**

With barely a sliver of soap left in her hand, shared by all those living in the apartment, Relena finished scrubbing the offensive smell of sweat from the one blouse she could claim as her own. Her roommates thought she was rather obsessive about cleanliness, but she was determined not to let go of the things that were fundamentally important, and being clean was near the top of that list. What she wouldn't give for some proper detergent, deodorant, toothpaste and fresh underwear. She dreaded the arrival of her menstrual cycle, having been told by the other two women she roomed with that sanitary napkins were limited and that torn up rags would have to be used after her insufficient supply of eight pads had been used. She shuddered at the thought and was grateful that her cycles were often irregular.

Wearing a long, misshaped and stained grey T-shirt, provided by Rida as her nightwear, she finished washing her blouse, knowing that it would be just as wrinkled and ugly after being washed and dried as it had been before she'd taken it off. She could only hope that it would smell a bit better.

She spared only a moment for wistfully thinking of all of the clothing contained within her massive closet back home before guilt set in. Compared to the people she lived with now and others struggling to survive on this colony, the amount of clothing she owned, her luxurious home and many comforts she's enjoyed now seemed obscenely frivolous. She owned dozens of evening gowns and clothing she'd never even worn because she'd been waiting for just the right occasion. And shoes? How many women on L2 could have benefitted from the dozens of shoes in her closet? Even though most of her footwear was on the formal side and inappropriate for everyday wear, the amount of money she'd spent on her them as well as purses and jewelry alone could have fed the colony for a long time.

Wringing out the small bits of moisture from the damp garment in her hands, she once again resisted the urge to cry, refusing to give into pity or self-recriminations. She was alive and not mistreated. As long as she stayed that way there was hope that she could be rescued, that she would return to Earth and to her brother and friends. If she gave into tears now, they would only be the beginning of a complete breakdown.

Purposely turning her thoughts to something else, she again recalled her conversation with Rida. The older woman was nearly a constant presence in the apartment and Relena's source of all kinds of information. The older woman spoke time and again about the inadequate supplies sent by Earth's government and that without the aid of that mysterious group of outsiders and their black ship they would all be dead by now. Tales regarding those who provided food for the colony were some of Rida's favorite topics, outside of her books. This bit of information again piqued Relena's interest.

Before her abduction she'd learned about Heero having gone into space to join with Wufei Chang on an investigation regarding a group of space pirates, or marauders, which was the term Heero had used. Could it be that the same group the Preventers hunted were actually the benefactors who brought the much needed and necessary supplies to L2? Could the marauders be the same people who were risking their own lives by sneaking through the embargo lines to help the forgotten citizens of this colony?

She considered those questions as she placed her sorry excuse for a blouse over the wire line that was drawn over the bathtub, which remained unused for bathing due to a lack of water. She looked at the empty tub with longing, promising to never again take water or bathing for granted. If she ever got back to Earth she was going to soak for hours in a hot bath, scented with lavender and gardenias until her skin was completely wrinkled, like the blouse she'd just washed. Looking back at the garment the thought came to her that it would probably dry faster on the make-shift clothing line that was strung up outside. But Gian had warned her about hanging anything out of doors at night, even several storeys up. It seemed that even though she judged the garment to be quite hideous, those who were needier might be tempted to take such a warm blouse for themselves. It seemed theft was a way of life on the colony, and perhaps more so out of necessity and survival rather than from simple greed.

Thinking about thieves again, her thoughts returned to the marauders. Strangely enough, she found herself feeling differently about them than she had before. Stealing was something she'd never done, not even as a child. She had been taught that it was wrong, for her and everyone else, to take what didn't belong to you. But now, if what she'd been told was true, that she was now on the receiving end of thievery, she couldn't help but feel a great deal of gratitude for those men and/or women who were stealing essential food, water and supplied in order to provide the essential goods to those who could not help themselves. Surely they were heroes, she thought while turning to leave the small room.

The evening cycle was young yet and her roommates were still out, and would no doubt be absent as long as the lights of the colony remained on. Without a television, radio or even a phone, there wasn't much else for her to do. Moving to the bedroom and to her regular spot on the mattress, she sat down and unconsciously combed her fingers though her hair, lacking a comb or brush. Despite being oily, her fingers quickly got tangled in the unruly mass and she wished for at least the hundredth time that she had a proper brush.

A loud rumbling sound came from her stomach, and the former Queen of the World wondered if there was ever going to be a time when she wasn't hungry. Even though she had received her regular allotment of food for the week, she continued from habit born of necessity to ration it carefully, saving some for a more desperate day. Damn, but she was hungry. She decided to try and escape the constant gnawing in her belly in the only way she knew how; by going to sleep.

Lying down, she covered herself with the one blanket assigned to her and curled up into a ball, holding onto her aching stomach. She silently uttered a prayer, concentrating this time on being grateful for being alive instead of complaining about her circumstances. And despite her current situation, she spoke to God of her genuine gratitude for being placed with people who had no intention of harming her. She recalled how, during the week when she'd had so little food to eat, each of her roommates had each given her two spoonfuls of their meal, knowing she had been desperately hungry. Those eight bites of food meant more to her than any fancy banquet she'd attended, where renowned chefs had presented one delectable dish afer another. There was little doubt that these humble people had probably never even heard of much less tasted the kinds of food she'd eaten, which made her feel more guilty than ever. She proceeded to gave thanks for each of her roommates, then closed her prayer with the hope that she would be able to endure this experience and come out of it a better person. "But please, God," she whispered. "Let this nightmare end soon. Amen."

TBC

Author's notes: My heartfelt thanks, everyone, for your comments. I appreciate each and every review you leave for this story and any others I've written. Please forgive me if I don't reply with a comment back, but my time on the computer is limited. Thanks again, Dyna


	33. Chapter 34

**Lies Between Friends and Lovers  
Chapter 34**

The two men, professionals in completely different fields, continued to chat easily as they all but ignored their multi-course meal. Having come to the moon to test the waters of friendship and maybe something more, they spent the next couple of hours catching up on their lives and wading into the waters of mutual attraction.

When it came to his turn, the Japanese man spoke candidly about his entry into the Preventers, of struggling to fit in when everyone seemed suspicious of his motives and resentful of his achieving a high rank in the organization at such a young age. It hadn't been easy, he'd confessed, but he now looked back and considered it a time of growth and understanding, of others as well as himself. He'd been helped along the way by the therapy he'd been required to attend as a result of Director Une having learned of their violent break up.

Duo frowned as he paused from playing with the last bit of his meal. Pushing his plate aside, he leaned forward. Looking over the top rim of his tinted glasses he asked, "How about your personal life, Heero? You didn't answer me before when I asked, so tell me now; have you had anyone special in your life, a boyfriend?"

Hating to admit that he hadn't, Heero toyed with the rice pilaf on his plate and shrugged. "Not anything that lasted more than a week or two. Guess I never found anyone who could get past my defenses like you did."

He chanced a glance up at the other man, only to see Duo staring at him with a look of disbelief. "No one?"

Slowly exhaling, Heero admitted that he gave up on dating after a couple of failures and concentrated on his job, which left little time for a personal life.

Placing his right elbow on the table, Duo lazily leaned his head against his upraised hand while continuing to stare at the man sitting across from him. "I can't believe no one has snagged you," he said. "You're hot, Heero. In and out of uniform."

One corner of Heero's mouth twitched upward. "You're the one who taught me there is more to a person than their looks."

Duo blinked. "I did?"

Heero grinned and nodded. "I learned early on, after our first acquaintance, that you were more than just a pretty face."

"Pretty face!" Duo gasped with a horrified expression. "I was never pretty. Handsome, maybe. Guys are handsome, Heero. Save 'pretty' for women, babies and tropical sunsets."

With his grin turning to a tender smile, Heero replied, "You were more than handsome to me back then, and I find you even more irresistible now."

A cinnamon colored eyebrow rose. "I'm irresistible?"

"I don't think I'm the only one with that opinion," the other man said in his own defense. "I seem to recall a particular advertisement in a magazine stating the same thing."

With a chuckle and a shake of his head Duo looked at him again over the rim of his glasses. "Yeah, Irresistible was the name of that men's cologne I was hired to model for. My agent sure knows how to sell me." Then with a million dollar smile he added, "But hearing that you think I'm irresistible is much more rewarding than the check I got for that job."

Heero found himself smiling back and losing himself within the blue-violet depths for which he had never found an equal to. The touch of a stocking foot on his ankle again startled him for a slight moment, but as Duo's grin turned mischievous and his foot worked its way up his pant leg to massage his calf, Heero didn't stop himself this time from reaching out and placing his hand over Duo's, which was resting on the white linen covered table top. Duo turned his hand around to lightly clasp Heero's in return.

For several moments the two remained silent and thoughtful while their hands became reacquainted. Duo ran his fingertips over Heero's palm before he began tracing his fingers one by one. Heero found this strange interaction as sensual as any foreplay he'd engaged in. "Your calluses are gone," Duo observed, his voice low and sultry.

"I don't fly a gundam or even a mobile suit any longer," he replied while Duo urged his hand up so that he could study his palm.

"These are good hands, strong and sure. I like that in a man."

Heero wondered why everything Duo said seem to have an effect on him, like throwing tinder on the low and simmering fire that was building inside of him. Every word and touch seemed sexually charged. Then Duo's hand slowly pressed forward until his wrist bent back, until his palm face the models direction. Duo's soft palm pressed up against his own. The vertical position of their hands became an expression of a horizontal desire, with nothing separating the flesh on flesh contact. Heero's heart rate rapidly increased and his breath suddenly seemed to be tangled up in his throat when Duo pressed his fingers more firmly against his own, as if measuring them. Slowly, purposely, the model shifted those tantalizing fingers slightly and then bent them to clasp their hands firmly together. Heero's own fingers replied in kind, feeling as if he and Duo were truly engaged in an intimate act.

With their hands now locked together and Duo stroking the sensitive area between his thumb and forefinger with his own thumb, the braided man asked, "Did you want to order dessert or would you rather come to my room for a nightcap?"

"I don't drink," Heero choked out, his voice barely a whisper.

Leaning forward, Duo winked as he whispered with a teasing grin, "Neither do I."

Looking beneath the fringe of the white wig and beyond the tinted glasses, Heero could see barely restrained passion smoldering in the other man's eyes, a need so pronounced that it was undeniable. "Let's go before we get kicked out."

Duo grinned. "I'll get the check."

Five minutes later the two men were walking side by side towards the elevator doors, both of them smiling and stealing glances at each other. When the car finally arrived and the two doors slid open, they entered and stood shoulder to shoulder while it took them to their floor. Though it took a great deal of effort, they managed somehow to restrain themselves from the overwhelming need to touch each other, mainly because of the three other people sharing the elevator car with them.

They exited the lift on its first stop, and calmly walked down the long, green floral carpeted hallway towards their rooms, their hands brushing against each other from time to time. Duo slowed to a stop in front of the door with the numbers 1921 next to it. Heero registered the fact that his and Duo's rooms were next door to each other, his room being 1922.

Sliding the magnetic card in the security lock, the locking mechanism blinked from red to green and then clicked, allowing Duo to open the door. Grinning, the disguised model stepped aside to allow Heero to precede him into the room.

Before the door shut behind them or the lights could be turned on, Heero had the braided model pinned up against the wall, his mouth devouring the lips he'd been dying to taste all evening long. No, if he were truthful, he'd been wanting to do this for the past five years. His need for the other man was further roused when Duo clutched the back of his shirt, holding him in place while he returned the fevered kiss.

Soon their need for the each other urged them to do something more. They stumbled in the dark towards the direction of the bed, still clutched in each other's arms. Frantic with desire they began to fumble with each other's clothing, trying to remove them as quickly as possible. Heero tugged off the wig and felt the tumble of long hair fall over his hands. But the moment his hand slipped beneath the elastic of Duo's underwear, the other man stiffened and abruptly pushed firmly against Heero's shoulders. "Wait!" he gasped, sounding frantic.

The rush of adrenaline and overwhelming need that had built up between them was immediately cooled by Duo's apparent second thoughts. Heero couldn't help feeling disappointed at having to stop. He took a deep breath and fought the need to reach out to the man he wanted so badly, thinking it would be better to wait until Duo explained himself. Unable in the dark to see the other man's face he asked, "What's the matter?"

He heard movement and then a bedside lamp was switched on. After his eyes adjusted to the sudden change from dark to light, he took inventory of the situation. He and Duo both stood facing each other wearing in their boxers and shirts that were unbuttoned. Their jackets, pants, a wig and tinted glasses were abandoned on the floor. It was clear that Duo had not stopped because of his lack of interest, the prominent bulge at the front of his boxers was evidence of that fact. Slowly sinking down to sit on the edge of the bed, his long hair flowing around him like a cape, Duo took in an unsteady breath while combing his fingers through his hair. The flustered man whispered more to himself than Heero, "Shit, what the hell am I doing?"

"Duo?"

"Just... just let me think for a moment, okay?"

Having little choice to but do as asked, Heero sat quietly next to the other man, who had buried his face in his hands for a moment before he let his them drop altogether. Then those famous blue/violet yes turned towards him with an expression that appeared to be apprehension Duo said, "I'm not sure this is a good idea, Heero. It's not that I don't want you; I do. But..." Duo paused for a long moment and searched his face, for what Heero didn't know.

"But what?" he nudged.

With a deep sigh, the long haired man shook his head and replied, "My life is really complicated right now. I just don't know if this is the right time to start anything."

"You're right," Heero agreed. "This isn't the best time for me either, considering I've got two unsolved cases that have priority on my time and mental faculty. If you consider our professions and that we both live on separate continents, when will our lives ever be less complicated?" He reached up to push a long strand of hair behind Duo's ear and then cupped his cheek. Meeting Duo's gaze he said, "Regardless of the obstacles, I think we should take advantage of the short time we have together, make the most of it and worry less about the what the future might bring."

Duo seemed to seriously consider Heero's suggestion for a moment, but then he closed his eyes and shook his head. "You might think you know me, Heero, but five years is a long time. I've changed."

"You haven't changed that much in here." Heero lowered his hand to place it over Duo's heart.

"Maybe not, but I've still changed. And despite what you've probably heard on T.V. or read in the tabloids, I... I'm not really a one-night-stand kind of guy. Oh, I've tried it," he admitted, "and felt awful the next morning." Duo gave a resigned sigh as he added, "I want you, Heero, so badly that I lost myself for a moment, but I can't do this as a one time thing."

Shifting to sit closer to Duo, close enough to put his arm around the model's shoulders, Heero found his gaze riveted on the other man's hands, twisting in a nervous manner between his open thighs. "I don't want this to be a one night stand, Duo," he began. "I've done nothing but think of you since that day I knocked on the door to your apartment, imagining what it would be like to talk to you and be a part of your life again. After all these years of being apart, I'm not going to be satisfied with only tonight." Then another thought occurred to him. "Are you sure there's not someone else in your life? Someone who came to mind and made you hesitate tonight?" It was a fear he had known was a possibility, that someone else had a claim on Duo's heart.

"Not someone, Heero, but something."

"Something?" A variety of scenarios for what that "something" could be flooded Heero's mind, making him fear the answer to the question.

The troubled crease forming between Duo's eyebrows revealed that the man felt torn, and Heero could only guess that whatever was bothering him was something he hesitated bringing up. Then with a sheepish look, the long-haired man appeared to have come to some decision when he confessed. "My job, Heero."

The Japanese man almost laughed out loud with relief. Duo was concerned about his job, not some deep hidden secret, some incurable disease, blackmail, criminal act or love child. "Your job?" he asked, unable to contain his glee completely as a smile twitched at his mouth.

"It's important to me," Duo replied, looking guilty. He then shifted his position in order to face Heero, his face becoming very serious. "Look, I know that modeling probably seems frivolous compared to what we did during the wars and to what you do now, but it allows me to make more money than I ever could at any other job."

Heero frowned. "Money didn't used to be much of a priority to you. Or is it fame that you're worried about?" Maybe what Duo said earlier was true, that he'd changed more during the past five years than he assumed.

"Neither of those things were important when I had only myself to think about," Duo admitted. "I still don't need much. Believe it or not I don't like all the media attention, especially the photographers who chase me around town and jump out of the bushes to snap pictures of me jogging or having lunch with a friend. I don't need a fancy apartment in an outrageously expensive apartment building or a closet full of designer clothing. All of that merely supports my public image which in turn attracts more high paying jobs. To be honest, a two bedroom flat with hot running water and a small kitchen is all I ever needed. But my income isn't for me alone, Heero. I use my celebrity to make money, and invest most of my income to support several charities. I was in the process of organizing health clinics and orphanages for kids on L2 when the blockade was put in place. Those kids that survive what's going on there are gonna need my help more than ever once the blockade is lifted."

The mention of L2 and the blockade caused a definite change in the mood between them. "Did you receive any information on what Wufei and Trowa found when they visited L2 recently?"

Duo shook his head. "Quatre told me where Trowa was the last time I called, but I haven't had much of an opportunity to speak with him since he returned." Looking like he really didn't want to continue with the subject, the long-haired man seemed to steel himself before asking, "Was it bad news?"

Heero sighed, noting the evening had taken a decidedly sour turn. "From the report Wufei submitted to Une, the conditions on L2 are deteriorating. He stated that the humanitarian supplies sent by the UEC are inadequate for feeding L2's dwindling populace. Wufei was so disturbed by the conditions there that he intended to personally deliver his report to Une and demand something be done."

Duo covered his face with his hands and scrubbed hard at his flesh, as if trying to wipe away a bad memory. Heero reached up and grabbed hold of his wrists, stopping the other man's agitated movements. "Duo," he said in a soft, pleading voice.

After a long drawn-out moment, the braided man looked up, his eyes anguished. "I hate that place, Heero. L2 is the source of almost all of my nightmares."

"I know," Heero replied, his hand moving to rub small, soothing circles over the fabric covering Duo's back. "I remember everything you told me about your life there. I don't blame you for staying away and I can't tell you how relieved I am you aren't there so that I don't have to worry about whether or not you have food or shelter."

"But don't you see, Heero?" Duo's stopped to swallow, obviously trying to control his emotions. "Those people represent what my life would have been if Howard and G hadn't taken me in and trained me to pilot Deathscythe. I'm one of the lucky ones who actually made it out of that stinking death trap, but they didn't. I might hate the place, but it's in my blood and I just can't seem to leave it behind me, or the people who still live there. I care about what happens to the kids, the old people and those who have next to nothing because they had the misfortune of being born on that damn colony."

Heero's heart ached from seeing the face that had smiled for countless pictures and was admired by millions of people now look at him with such despair. Not knowing what else to do, he embraced Duo and held him tightly. The famous model's body trembled in his arms, though he didn't seem to be crying. Was Duo distraught or nervous? "What can I do to help?" he asked.

"I don't know," Duo whispered in a small, shaky voice. "But this feels pretty damn good."

Despite the gravity of the situation, Heero found himself beginning to smile once again. Leaning back slightly, just enough to look at Duo's face, he cupped his cheek and stroked it with his thumb. "You are beautiful," he said, taking in every inch of the other man's beguiling face.

Duo gazed deeply into his eyes, as if he were looking into his soul and asked, "What do you want from me, Heero?"

Heero seriously considered that question for a moment. With his hand still on Duo's cheek, he brought his face closer, tilting it just slightly to the right before his lips grazed over the other man's mouth. With his eyes closed and lips teasingly touching Duo's mouth, he whispered, "Everything, Duo. I want everything from you."

With a moan, the braided man crushed his lips to those of the Japanese man and pulled him along as he lay down on the mattress. Heero was quick to respond and in a matter of moments he had the both of them completely undressed and situated more comfortably on the queen-size bed. The heat and passion between them rose quickly as they rolled from one side of the bed to the other, each man vying for dominance. Duo finally capitulated to Heero's strength and determination, allowing the other man to prepare him for what was to come after fishing a tube of lube from out of his toiletry bag, conveniently set on the bedside table.

At last the two men were once again joined in the most intimate manner and the rhythm which started out slow in order to ease their need quickly gained momentum. Heero was the first to cry out his release, jerking his hips one last time in order to release his essence into his lover. Before removing his softening member, he used his hand to bring the man beneath him to climax, his mouth covering Duo's, stifling the hoarse cry of his release.

Gently disengaging, Heero collapsed next to the panting man and wrapped his arm around Duo's waist, unwilling to lose contact. He fought the urge to close his eyes and rest; he wanted to see Duo's reaction in the wake of their lovemaking. He didn't have to wait long.

Turning his face towards him, Duo slowly opened his eyes and made an honest attempt to smile, but the effort seemed forced. "Heero?" The look in Duo's eyes as well as the uncertainty in his voice told Heero could that for some reason this beautiful, desireable man needed reassurance that this wasn't a one time fling, that what they'd just shared was more than simply a physical release. Leaning forward, Heero gave his lover a quick peck on the tip of his perfect nose. "That was wonderful. You were wonderful, Duo."

"Yeah, it was... and so were you."

"Duo?"

"Yeah."

"I'm still in love with you."

In an instant the uncertainty that had surrounded Duo disappeared and was replaced by stunned surprise. "Really?"

Heero nodded, and as quick as the blink of an eye he found Duo back in his arms, squeezing him for all he was worth.

"You have no idea what that means to me, Heero. I... I care very much about you, too. Please," he rushed to add, "don't be put off that I can't repeat what you said just yet." Still holding him tightly, Duo added after a long moment, "I've never felt for anyone what I feel for you and I want you so damn much." He paused there, and being pressed so closely together, Heero heard the other man swallow before he added, "But I can't help being cautious. It really hasn't been that long since you reentered my life and I'm really not sure what it is I'm feeling right now, other than happy. I'm just so damn happy right now."

Heero felt the truth of Duo's words resonate within himself. That they'd only recently reunited was true, yet despite that he knew without a doubt that he was Duo's for the asking. His heart, he now realized, had always belonged to the other man, even when he believed that Duo didn't want him any longer.

It wasn't long before they had recuperated enough to make love once again, but this time they enjoyed a more leisurely pace, savoring each touch and kiss, every sigh and moan.

An hour or two before dawn, and after several rounds of lovemaking, Heero's breath hitched with both pleasure and pain as Duo entered him for a second time that night. It had been years since he'd done this, making love multiple times in one night, and having someone take him. Duo was the only man to have him this way. On the few occasions when he'd engaged in sex with another man, he'd always been on top, never trusting anyone to dominate him in such a way. But tonight it felt right and... satisfying even, to give to Duo what no other person had gotten from him.

Then as his lover began to move, Heero looked up under half-opened eyes to study the man rocking above him. Duo's hair was down and spilled over his back and shoulders, providing a picture of sensuality that he would store in his mind for when they couldn't be together. And they would be together again, he'd make sure of it. No matter what obstacles lay ahead of them he was determined to keep Duo Maxwell in his life... and bed.

He came with the other man's name on his lips, and was in the midst of the euphoric orgasm when Duo sped up and gasped as he thrust one last time, hitting his own climax. The taller man collapsed into Heero's arms and the two of them whispered reassurances and words of affection to each other.

They remained in that room for the remainder of the night, then switched to Heero's room the next morning. After showering together, they ordered breakfast from room service and ate their meal in bed while watching the morning news and the beginning of an old movie. Then as hands began to explore, and lips sought out their mate, the two continued where they'd left off the night before, and the lazy, pleasantly spent morning eased gently into the afternoon.

______________________

Coming out of the bathroom after yet another shower, Duo stepped cautiously, feeling sore and close to exhaustion from having sex numerous times in less than 24 hours. Yet as he turned the corner to see Heero dozing on the bed with only the top sheet covering him from his waist down, he felt a stirring in his loins once again. _Damn, I've got it so bad_, he thought to himself.

Pulled by the need to be close to his lover, to savor every moment they had together, he moved noiselessly to the bed where he spent several moments studying the sleeping man. Heero was no longer the boy that was etched in his memories. He was now a man, an adult, a very good looking and accomplished adult. Heero seemed even more handsome than ever, if that were possible. Of course the boyish good looks had been replaced by the more elongated face of a grown man. Even the two-days' worth of stubble on his face could do nothing to mar his good looks. Duo hadn't failed to notice that Heero was a couple inches short of his own height, just shy of six feet, but that took nothing away from his physique. Heero was as fit and strong as he'd been while piloting Wing Zero, if not stronger. He grinned at the unruly, dark brown hair, thinking that the thick mass would probably never be tamed, but that didn't matter because he loved it. While sleeping, Heero's face softened and he became too tempting a sight for Duo not to reach out and touch him in some way. With his palm open, he gently placed it over the center of Heero's chest, feeling the beating heart beneath. The only reaction to his touch was a slight lifting at the corners of the mouth belonging to the awakening man.

Knowing that Heero was now very much aware of his touch, he let his hand roam freely over the strong chest, mapping out every inch of the caramel colored skin.

"Come here," Heero said in a sleepy voice, his eyes remaining closed.

Duo shifted to lie next to his sexy lover, his hand resting on Heero's sheet-covered hip. Heero's arm shifted until it encircled his waist. "Sore?"

Duo chuckled. "Oh yeah. You?"

"Yes, but it feels good, knowing how I got this way."

"Well, I'm not a masochist like you are, apparently. I definitely can't say that my ass feels good," Duo countered, then in a softer voice added, "But I absolutely don't regret anything we've done."

Leaning forward, Heero kissed him. It started out slow, their tongues lazily mating, and it became clear rather quickly that they couldn't initiate something as simple as a touch or kiss without passion building quickly between them. It was only when Heero rolled over, trapping Duo beneath him, that the long haired man broke their kiss, and protested. "I can't Heero. Too sore."

"Then I'll just have to find another way to show how much I love you." The dark haired man proceeded to kiss his way down the famous model's body and let his lips and entire mouth entice, titillate and bring the other man to yet another climax. His name, whether whispered or shouted by Duo when he climaxed, was something Heero knew he would never get tired of hearing.

He climbed up the warm and sated body to take the long-haired man into his arms while Duo continued to recover. The braided man lay limp in his arms, tired and spent from their many rounds of lovemaking. Heero could only guess that they were making up for lost time.

"Hum... What about you?" Duo mumbled as he hand began to move downward.

Heero grabbed the searching hand and brought it back to his chest, holding it against his heart. "Later. Right now I think we both need a bit of sleep. We have the whole night ahead of us."

"Don't want this to end," Duo said, his voice groggy, indicating that he was losing the battle to stay awake.

"It won't. I promise."

Reaching down, Heero pulled the neglected blankets up and covered the both of them. After readjusting their bodies so that Duo was pressed up against his side, his head pillowed on his shoulder and their legs entwined, he covered a large yawn of his own and allowed himself to follow his lover into the dreams of the contented.

TBC


	34. Chapter 35

**Lies Between Friends and Lovers  
Chapter 35**

Wufei

While en route to colony L3 to interview the crew of the latest ship boarded by the marauders, Wufei made several calls from the Preventer shuttle. The first had been to Trowa's Preventer issued cell phone. Though the hour was late he wanted to apologize to the other man for leaving L4 before Trowa returned from the office. Surprisingly, his call was picked up by another Preventer who announced herself as Agent Durnford. She reported that Agent Barton's calls were being diverted to her because he'd taken a sick day.

After disconnecting the call, he sat back and thought for a moment about his conversation with Quatre earlier that day. According to him, Trowa had been working on a computer problem at his office in the Winner building. The blond didn't say anything about Trowa being ill. Of course, he reasoned, Trowa could have fallen victim to a virus or something else since he'd left their home shortly after sharing dinner with Quatre. But Trowa being ill seemed a feeble excuse for not answering his work phone. He knew neither Trowa nor Quatre were prone to common viruses nor did they make up lame excuses to miss work. Had Trowa really been working at Quatre's office? Was he truly sick or were his friends purposely deceiving coworkers and himself for some unknown reason? His initial plan to question Trowa about his day were dashed when the man failed to show up in time for dinner. Wufei was troubled by the coincidence of his sometime partner's absence during yet another marauder raid. Surely, knowing Trowa as he did, he would recognized whether or not he was being lied to.

Suspicious by the nature of his past as a gundam pilot well as his present job, Wufei followed his instincts and made the next call to the L4 terminal that housed private shuttles. Using his Preventer ID badge and liberal expense account, he inquired if they had a small and speedy spacecraft from a privately owned company. The clerk stated that they had a ship meeting that criteria and it was indeed available, but it wasn't equipped to carry anything other than two people and a small amount of personal belongings. It was exactly what he needed. Wufei used his Preventer card to put the ship on hold and asked that it be ready to leave at a moment's notice; all he had to do was sign the rental contract and credit slip upon his arrival.

Because his thoughts were preoccupied with his friends, his intuition telling him that something wasn't right, he made a snap decision and ordered the Preventer shuttle to turn around and return to L4. He radioed ahead to the Preventer office on L3 requesting a team of investigators interview the crew of the Mary Sue and forward the report to him as soon as possible. He had little doubt that when he received that report he would read an almost exact description of the attack that had been previously reported by other freighter crews that had fallen victim to the marauders.

Once the shuttle docked at its berth on L4, Wufei saw the to agents who had accompanied him off the ship. He purposely refrained from calling his friends to announce his return. Instead, he changed out of his Preventer uniform and into his street clothes then let his hair down, hoping to avoid being recognized when his image was captured on the security cameras that were located in almost every corner on L4. With luck he would look like a typical citizen going about his business. He didn't doubt that if he was recognized, word would get back to his friends. Quatre seemed to have uncanny insight about what went on inside his home colony.

Leaving the shuttle, Wufei proceeded to make his way to the commercial terminal and specifically to the shuttle/craft rental business office of Weintraub and Deats, located near the private and rental shuttle docks. He was greeted warmly by the receptionist and quickly signed the agreement and credit slip for the Shooting Star, a first-class ultra shuttle. After the business transaction had concluded, Wufei sat down in the terminal and opened his laptop to bring up some important information. Using his Preventer login code and going through government files not ordinarily open to the public, it was rather easy to gain access to records that listed all of the properties belonging to Quatre Winner, his family and corporation. It surprised the Chinese agent to learn how much land the Winner family owned on Earth as well as structures on every colony. There were also numerous resource satellites on that list, three of which had been decommissioned and were floating in space no more than an hour or so away from the regular travel lanes.

It was those three satellites on which he was now focused. He reasoned that if Quatre and Trowa had a stealth, class 3 shuttle stashed somewhere, it would either have to be on Earth, hidden at any one of countless private landing strips, or nestled safely here in space. It only made sense that if a shuttle that size were hidden in space, it would be hard to secure on any colony without some word leaking out. Which is why his focus and suspicions were presently centered around the three out-of-commission satellites belonging to Quatre's family. Any one of the three would be more than sufficient in size for use as a hanger.

Bringing up the coordinates, he set a course for the decommissioned satellite closest to L4, intending to use the heat sensors he had taken from the Preventer shuttle to determine if any of the three satellites were inhabited.

___________________________________

Trowa sat in the cockpit of the El Diablo and waited impatiently for Howard and the other two crew members to unload the stolen cargo into the hands of the guardians assigned to unpack and sort the containers for distribution. He glanced down at his watch and mentally cringed. Having gotten a text message that Wufei was at the house, he could only hope that Quatre could make up a good excuse to their Preventer friend for his continued absence.

Since seeing the deteriorating conditions of L2, and despite Howard's protests, he'd moved up the next scheduled raid in order to get more supplies to those suffering on the forgotten colony. The pictures he and Wufei had taken of the colony's citizens had haunted him, as had the memory of Relena Peacecraft running towards him, crying out for help. Even though he knew she was in good hands, there was always a chance that something could go wrong. It was a chance he and the others thought was worth taking. After years of talking themselves blue in the face to government officials, it became clear that something extraordinary had to happen in order to shake up the UEC government and push them into action. It was their hope that Relena, having lived in the same horrible conditions as the other L2 citizens, would sympathize with their plight and use her clout to become a voice for the suffering populace, which, over time, had conveniently been forgotten by nearly everyone on Earth.

Trowa glanced down at his watch once again, impatient to get going. Once they left L2, they would return to their base, and from there he'd take his smaller shuttle back to L4, which meant he was going to be very late in returning home to Quatre. Dinner would be long cold by the time he got home and as would his side of their bed. He frowned, thinking about the last couple of hours. Though they'd been successful in their achieving their goals that day, the trip has been fraught with arguments between himself and Howard. The older man complained about the revised schedule, saying the increase in jobs -- which they liked to call their commandeering of goods from the boarded freighters -- had been rushed and not well thought out. As it was, he and his crew only had less than the usual amount of time to rest between jobs. Though everyone involved knew how vital these raids were, they couldn't afford to make any mistakes. For two years they had managed to carry out their life-saving operation without being caught, and Howard argued that accelerating the raids at this stage in the game would also increase the chance of something going wrong.

The man had a valid point. Trowa promised to speak with Quatre before they made any more changes to the schedule. Howard appeared relieved by his promise, and he really couldn't blame the older man for his concern. The more frequent the raids the less down time there was for him and his team, even with Duo and his group doubling their efforts. Planning what shuttles to board took a great amount of time and research, choosing only those supply shuttles carrying the goods necessary to L-2's survival. Even with their combined hacking skills and Quatre's contacts, it was still an extremely delicate, detailed operation, planned and executed with the goal of helping L2 and keeping them all from going to prison.

_____________________

It was well past three a.m. when the cloaked shuttle entered the open bay doors of decommissioned resource satellite #00069. The structure had originally been used for growing vegetables and fruit for the people of L-4. The cost of crops grown on satellites were dramatically lower in price than purchasing them from Earth during the years preceding the Eve Wars. Little did anyone know that these decommissioned satellites would once again be used to help feed a colony.

After fifteen minutes of pressurizing one of several loading bays and performing all of the shuttle's shut-down procedures, Trowa removed his harness, shook Howard's hand for another job well done, then pushed the button that opened the shuttle's side door. His feeling of accomplishment and the need to get back to L4 as quickly as possible were instantly lost after he spied a familiar person standing by one of the hanger's internal doors. He blinked, hoping Wufei Chang was just a figment of his imagination. The Chinese man remained and Trowa's stomach churned with dread. His sometime partner, dressed in black slacks and grey sweater, also wore an unhappy scowl. His long black hair was loose, and fell over his shoulders, which caused Trowa to pause a moment because he'd never seen his former comrade's hair out of a ponytail before. He only had a moment to wonder at the change in the other man's appearance before the knowing look in his friend's eyes told him that any attempt at subterfuge would be pointless; he was caught dead to rights. As he had done many years before with Quatre, Trowa simply raised his hands and surrendered.

Footsteps behind him alerted Trowa that someone was about to come out of the hatch. "What's going on?" Howard's voice trailed off the moment his eyes landed on the Chinese man. "Well shit," he said in a defeated tone.

"I think the time has come for us to sit down and have a little chat," Wufei said to the two men.

"Are we under arrest?" Trowa inquired.

"If I was a smart man, I'd say yes," Wufei answered, both his face and voice denoting the seriousness of the situation. "But right now I have questions that need to be answered. For the moment, our conversation is off the record.

"My ship is attached to the satellite's hull, on the opposite side of this main entrance. It's much too small for a conference," Wufei stated, "so I suggest was adjourn to your ship for this conversation."

With a nod of his head, Trowa agreed.

Entering the shuttle behind the two marauders, Wufei came face to face with two large, unknown men aiming stun guns at him. "Don't shoot," Trowa ordered. Reluctantly, the two nodded and promptly lowered their weapons. They silently waited for the auburn haired man to give them a clue as to their next move. "Lets all move to the galley where we're going to sit down and have a talk with my friend." Again, the men nodded and without a word retreated to the back of the ship. The moment they found themselves seated in El Diablo's galley Wufei looked at his fellow Preventer, his face remaining neutral while his eyes blazed with pain. "Tell me why, Trowa."

"You've been to L2," the brunet said softly, his eyes never leaving Wufei's face. "You saw the suffering there, the starving children. You know why we've gone to such lengths to help."

After a moment, Wufei gave his friend an acknowledging nod. Then shifting his attention to the older man, he said, "The mystery of the stealth ship is also solved. How did you get mixed up in all of this, Howard?"

With his long, graying hair pulled back into a ponytail and dressed in the black flight suit that had been attributed to the marauders, the famous engineer/Sweeper sighed as he slumped back in his chair. The man looked tired. "I'm a colony loyalist," Howard replied. "I had ties to L2 long before any of you gundam brats were born. When I came to realize the grave consequences the embargo would bring to the innocent on L2 I couldn't stand by and do nothing. When the opportunity presented itself, we came up with a plan to help those people whom everyone else had given up on. Despite what the other colonies or the people of Earth believes, there are many decent people living on L2 who were caught between the gangs that ran the colony by brute force alone and the UEC, whose motives for the unprecedented blockade are highly suspicious."

Howard leaned forward, his eyes bright with conviction. "Trowa got a hold of some emails that had been sent between several government officials who, in a round about way, stated their satisfaction in eliminating the evidence of their past mistakes. After looking into their backgrounds, we suspect that whatever they're trying to cover up, it had something to do with L2."

Wufei's eyes widened as he turned his attention to Trowa. "Why didn't you take this information to Une?

"We have no proof other than the emails," Trowa answered. "And I obtained them without a warrant, which means even they would be inadmissible in a court of law."

Howard continued. "Regardless, there are a lot of decent folks on L2 who have died more from starvation than violence since the blockade began. Having lost your own colony and people, Wufei, and you really stand by and watch another colony be wiped out because there are some individuals in power within the UEC who have decided it's for the best? And the best for whom?"

Wufei sidestepped answering Howard's questions by asking, "And do your ties to L2 include Duo Maxwell?" He watched the older man's face for his first reaction. Howard, an intelligent man who hid behind a joker persona, was a lot like Duo, he thought. Both men had more depth to them than they were willing to show the general public. He'd had glimpses into the depth of character and pain that were hidden beneath Duo's handsome facade. And as for Howard, what the man, already proven to be a genius, was capable of could be seen in the machines and systems he'd designed. He was obviously sitting in another one of the man's brilliant creations.

"Of course Duo is a part of my past," the older man answered unwavering. "I knew the kid while he trained with Professor G."

The Preventer's trained eye could detect no deception in Howard's eyes nor in his mannerisms.

"How about this illegal operation? Is Duo in any way involved in this?"

"Check your reports on past raids," Trowa offered. "Duo can probably account for his presence on Earth while those were going on. If you recall, he vowed never to set foot on L2 ever again."

"So you're saying Duo isn't involved."

"We kept him out of it."

"Meaning you and Quatre?"

"And me," Howard admitted

Wufei's eyes narrowed on Trowa. "I seem to recall that you were also accounted for at the time of a raid."

"I wasn't always needed."

Wufei ran his hand through his loose hair. "Damn it, Trowa. I can't tell whether or not you're lying to me."

The auburn haired man sighed. "Are we under arrest?"

Several long moments passed before the Chinese man answered. It was enough time for Trowa to wonder if he could warn Quatre before the Preventers came to their home or his office to arrest him. Of course they had calculated the risks before they began their efforts to aid L2, knowing that if they were discovered, arrested and convicted, he and Quatre would most likely spend many years apart. The risk at the time seemed worth saving the many lives in danger on L2. His lover was a compassionate man, his empathy for the suffering of others was incomparable. Quatre could not have lived with himself knowing he could have done something to help so many and failed to take action. His own life was centered around his lover. Quatre's happiness had become his own. They really had no alternative but to act after they'd exhausted all attempts politically to lift the blockade from L2. Now looking at Wufei, he waited for his friend to tell him the fate of himself, his beloved and their accomplices, who were now their dear friends.

Wufei slumped back in his chair and ran both hands over his face before dropping them. With a shake of his head and a defeated sigh he answered Trowa's question. "I don't know. I'd like to read those incriminating emails Howard spoke of earlier, and then I think we should return to L4 and include Quatre in any further decisions."

Trowa and Howard exchanged a surprised glance at each other. "What about me and my men?" the older man asked.

Wufei contemplated the man for a moment before replying. "I'm going to leave the three of you here and I'd like your word of honor that you'll remain on this satellite until you hear from either myself or Trowa."

A gray, shaggy eyebrow rose in question. "You would trust my word?"

"We fought together for a short time during the war, Howard. I came to know you as a man of honor, one who sacrificed much for the colonies. I believe you are still the same man and that I can trust you if you give me your word."

Howard exchanged a few whispered words with his two, unnamed men. After conferring with them, the older man turned back to the Preventer. "I give you my word that the three of us will stay here until we are contacted by yourself or Trowa. But remember this, Agent Chang, the longer we remain here the people of L2 go without the food and essentials we provide for their survival."

Wufei stood, motioning for Trowa to do the same. "We'll return to L4 in the other ship I located in the next hanger, which I'm assuming is Trowa's. I'll leave my craft behind for now and will contact you, Howard, within the next 12 hours. Do you have enough supplies? I checked the oxygen and heating systems and they look to be sufficient enough, but I didn't see any food or drink."

"We have enough on El Diablo to last two, maybe three days," one of the yet to be named crewmen informed them.

One black eyebrow rose at the name of the stealth ship. "An apt name," Wufei stated, looking back at Howard and Trowa.

"We thought so," Howard said with a tired chuckle.

Fifteen minutes later, Wufei and Trowa were suited up for space travel and seated in the cockpit of the small shuttle that Trowa had used to leave L4. With Wufei seated behind the controls, Trowa took the opportunity to recline his seat and fall to sleep the moment the ship cleared the satellite. It had been a very long day and the next one would undoubtedly be just as trying.

TBC

Thanks again for your reviews and comments. *hugs* All are appreciated. A special thanks to Louise, my ever faithful proofreader.


	35. Chapter 36

Sorry for the delay. Two chapters tonight, starting with this one.

**Lies - Between Friends and Lovers  
Chapter 36**

Relena once believed that sitting in a classroom and listening to a teacher drone on and on about some event in history somehow changed the physics of time, for it always seemed to slow it down in a most torturous way. Likewise, she discovered that being imprisoned on L2, with no news from the outside of the metal walls, no television, radio or anything to do other than wait for your next meal or going to the distribution center, had made the minutes seem endless, the hours and days feel like a lifetime passing. An eternity.

One day she was so bored that she sat in a corner and separated her dirty, oily hair into tiny strands and braided them. They actually stayed in place regardless that she didn't have anything to secure the ends. The end result was the oddest hairstyle she'd ever had, and it actually made her scalp itch worse than before. She kept the braids in despite the annoying itch, unable to bear having the filthy mess laying against her neck and face. After checking out her new hairstyle in the bathroom mirror and deciding it did nothing to make her look any better, she made a promise to herself that from that moment on she would avoid looking at herself in the mirror.

When yet another Friday came around, she stood in line with all the other hungry people, anxious to get her allotment of food. She looked through the front window and watched the workers inside doing their job of distributing the food in an efficient manner. Several times she caught a glimpse of Hilde. How she envied the workers their industry, thinking how lovely it would be to have something constructive to do. She paused as an idea suddenly began to form in her mind. She wondered if working in the distribution center might help her to occupy her hands and mind and help to dim the constant awareness of hunger.

Holding onto that sudden burst of inspiration, she waited until she stood at the counter and asked the woman behind it if she could speak with Hilde. While the older, thin and wrinkled woman studied her food badge, she acknowledged her request with a slight nod of her head.. "I'll tell her ya wants to see her."

Relena watched as she disappeared through the curtain covering the doorway and then reappeared again a few moments later with Hilde in tow. The dark haired young woman, wearing faded jeans and blouse tucked in, a faded blue and once white scarf covering her head, didn't look overly surprised to see her.

"What's up?" Hilde asked looking mildly curious.

"I was wondering if I might have a word with you."

One dark eyebrow rose in response to her request. Then with a shrug, Hilde answered, "Sure, why not? Follow me."

Motioning her to circle around the end of the counter, Relena followed the other woman to the back of the room. Once past the curtain, Relena saw that the room was a storage space, though only 1/4 of the room was filled with open boxes, of which food was being removed and given to the people standing in line outside. With so many people to feed, Relena no longer wondered why the food was distributed so carefully.

Turning to lean against a crate filled with packaged food, Hilde faced the former Queen of the World. "What can I do for you, Relena? And please, don't ask for more food than you've been allotted."

"No. I've no intention of taking food from another person's mouth," Relena replied. "I wanted to speak with you for a number of reasons, but first, I wondered if you had anything to do with my being brought here."

The petite and painfully thin woman shook her scarf-covered head and with a wry smile answered, "I've been stuck on this colony since the beginning of the blockade, it would be rather difficult for me to bring you here, wouldn't it?"

"You used to have connections."

"'Used to' being the key words. Besides, even if I did have something to do with it, the admission of such a crime would put me in prison, probably for the rest of my life."

"I'm sorry if I've offended you," Relena offered, "I'm just trying to figure out the reason for my being brought here."

"It's just speculation on my part," Hilde said, "but I think someone must have thought Relena Peacecraft might benefit from a completely different kind of education by living on L2."

"Education?"

"Of course." Hilde's attitude appeared casual and matter-of-fact. "I've learned that hardly anyone outside of L2 knows about the true conditions here. The public, I understand, has been led to believe we are being ruled by crime gangs and that we don't want to live any other way. Although the gang part was true at one point, they're no longer our main problem. As you can see, from both necessity and desire we created rules to govern ourselves by. Most of us agreed to follow those rules and though there are exceptions, we live our lives in an orderly manner. If Earth and the colonies are told anything at all about what goes on here since the blockade began, they must get an edited version from the monthly UEC supply ship, because no one seems to care about our progress or our struggle to survive. Yes, I know that you aren't an insensitive person, Relena, but now that you fully understand our plight, don't you want to help? Given the chance, you could be a strong advocate for the suffering people of L2 and tell everyone on the outside what it's like to be hungry, to be cold and afraid." Leaning closer and becoming a bit more impassioned, Hilde continued. "They'd listen to you, Relena. They always have."

Relena dismissed Hilde's belief as wishful thinking. She didn't see any way she would be getting off of L2 in the foreseeable future, so talk about what she could to do help anyone was merely wishful thinking. She turned to another topic. "I saw Trowa Barton on this colony last week. You know who he is, right?"

"A former gundam pilot," Hilde acknowledged. "Duo spoke of him once in a while."

"He was on this colony. I called out to him for help but he merely turned and walked away. Is he involved in my kidnaping?"

Hilde didn't look surprised by that information. With a nod of her head she said, "I spoke briefly with him and Wufei Chang. They were here as agents for the Preventer organization looking for evidence of a group of space pirated they called the marauders." Then looking at Relena from head to toe, she added, "I could understand his not recognizing you, though, dressed as you are. You don't look anything like you usually do, in fancy designer clothing, makeup and perfect hair, surrounded by wealth and comfort."

"Perhaps," Relena said, dubiously before turning to another subject. "Speaking of gundam pilots, Duo Maxwell was your friend, wasn't he? If I remember right, he had connections with the Sweepers. Why hasn't he done something to get you out of here?"

"Even if Duo had the means to help me, do you honestly think I'd leave here if I were given the chance?" Hilde asked, clearly offended. "I could never walk away knowing that the people left behind are still suffering." Then after a pause she added, "Duo is my friend, but he swore not to set foot on L2 ever again. Too many bad memories. I respect and understand his reasons for staying away before the embargo began, knowing a little bit about his past. He's not to blame for my being here." Planting her hands on her narrow hips she asked, "Anybody else you want to question me about?"

"Ah, no," Relena blushed, realizing she had hit a sensitive nerve with the other woman. "But I did want to ask if I could help you here at the distribution center? I'm going stir-crazy with nothing to do."

"Another hardship for those trapped in here," Hilde stated. "The days are painfully long when you don't have much food and all you have to do all day is think about how hungry you are and what you can eat to be satisfied, yet not diminish your supply."

Relena nodded, agreeing with Hilde. She had never known time to pass so slowly as she had here on L2. The stretch between each skimpy meal seemed torturous at times.

After spending several moments contemplating her request, Hilde straightened and went to a cardboard box. From out of it she pulled a faded red and white neckerchief and told her to place it over her hair, just like all the distributions workers.

"Come on," she motioned for Relena to follow her. "Let me introduce you to the other workers. What name should I use to introduce you, you know, to protect you?"

"Call me Lena."

______________________________

From that day forward Relena went to her bed each night with a feeling of satisfaction and exhaustion. Every day she looked into the eyes of a portion of L2's suffering populace. Giving them food and receiving their heart-felt gratitude gave her a sense of worth that she hadn't known was missing. She slept deeply each night, no longer dreaming of her luxurious home, but of the people who surrounded her every day. Many nights she went to sleep with tears in her eyes, recalling the suffering she'd seen that day, and vowed to herself that, given the chance, she would do all she could to help the citizens of Colony L2. She was no longer a bystander, a person of noble birth and privilege; she now counted herself as one of the unfortunates living and slowly dying on a forgotten colony. She no longer prayed for herself, for a rescue that seemed almost impossible after all this time, but for the entire colony desperately in need of someone, somewhere to care about what was happening to them and take action, now rather than later when it might be too late.

TBC


	36. Chapter 37

This is the second chapter added tonight.

**Lies Between Friends and Lovers  
Chapter 37**

"My guess is that you're the mastermind behind the attacks." Wufei gaze was fixed on the blond business man sitting across the table from him in the Winner-Barton kitchen. The coffee, tea and sweet rolls Quatre had produced upon their arrival remained, for the most part, ignored.

After a long moment Quatre replied, unapologetic and his gaze unwavering. "I only acted when no one else stepped up to make things right. Do you honestly believe we could stand by and ignore the plight of L2 just because the UEC said we must?" Quatre shook his head. "I couldn't do that and live with myself, Wufei. If there is any one person to place the blame on for this operation and bring to justice, it's me. This was my idea. Trowa and Howard just went along, also feeling the need to help."

"Quatre." Trowa's voice held a warning as he silently called his lover to task for putting the blame on himself. He obviously didn't feel that he just "went along" with the blond man's idea for saving L2.

"Why not just dip into L4's farming satellites and deliver food from them to L2 on your stealth shuttle?"

"Why should the people of my colony be the only ones to bear the entire burden for L2, a situation caused by the UEC government? The other colonies are just as affluent, and L2 is the sister colony to us all, no matter its decline. Don't think for a moment that we haven't taken equally from L4 as we did for all the other colonies. We calculated very carefully which shuttles to board, making sure to take evenly from each colony's shipments, then paying for the goods we'd appropriated. Let me emphasize, Wufei, that we never took a life nor wounded any crew members on the ships we boarded. Neither did we damage any vessel unnecessarily. We are on a mission of mercy, my friend, not for profit or vengeance."

"I've asked Trowa and Howard, but now I ask you, Quatre; is Duo in any way involved in this?"

Quatre let the next few moments stretched before he answered, and then he sidestepped the question by holding his hands out and saying, "Duo's not here, is he? You see the guilty party before you. I take full responsibility for the operation. Do with me as you will."

"Wufei." Trowa called his name, diverting his attention away from his lover. The green eyed man's gaze bore into him as he continued. "As a Preventer you have at least two choices before you. You can report to Une that you found the marauders, arrest us and haul our asses in and be the hero for a day. In doing so, you must share the responsibility, along with the UEC, for any further deaths on L2 caused by starvation. Even with a public trial, it would take months, maybe even years before the reasons for our actions were bought out into the open. You and I both know that without our help a good many people on L2 will be doomed to die with only the UEC's supplies." Trowa leaned forward to emphasize his next point. "But there is a different road you can take, one that seriously conflicts with your job. You can join with us and help the most helpless of colonies and live with a clean conscience."

Wufei stood from his chair and began to pace the tiled floor as he considered Trowa's words and the options he'd presented. There was more than just his future as a Preventer resting on his next decision. Yet despite the seriousness of the situation and the consequences to his friends as well as himself, he had his answer after a few, pensive moments. "I'll join you," he said decisively, turning to face the two men sitting at the table. "Just tell me what to do."

____________________________

Waking up and feeling his back pressed up against a warm and solid chest, Duo smiled and took a deep breath. The air in the hotel room was cool and filled with the scents of sex and the never-to-be forgotten smell of Heero. Rubbing sleep from his eyes, he wondered at his total lack of control. Despite Heero's reassurance that this weekend wasn't a one-time thing, he couldn't imagine how they could ever make their newfound relationship work. Heero was a dedicated Preventer, living on the opposite side of the planet from where he lived and worked. The man was all about the law and straightforward about his duty in seeing it was adhered to. In contrast, he hid behind his persona of a model, harboring secrets about his illegal activities with the help of a double. Heero would no doubt hate him if he ever found out that he'd been lied to. No, it could never work. Yet despite having come to that conclusion, even before he'd stepped off the shuttle from Earth, he'd flirted, kissed and then make passionate love to the only man he'd ever given his heart to. He'd gone against his better judgment and previous decision not to seduce Heero and happily tumbled into bed with him, setting himself up for the inevitable heartbreak that would come sooner or later.

The arms around him tightened slightly, alerting him to the fact that Heero was waking and that their time together was drawing to a close. His flight back to Earth was at 11:15 that morning, and even though he wished he and Heero could lock themselves away forever, just like they had the past two nights, he knew it was time to extract himself from this situation and get back to business. Despite the gloomy outlook for a future together, he couldn't regret having spent the weekend with Heero or how they'd passed the time. The memory of every word spoken, every touch and especially the feeling of Heero's body pressed against his own would stay with him for the rest of his life. No doubt he would draw on many of those memories long after Heero left him, which he would once he learned of his lies and deceptions.

Heero's arm went slack again. He'd gone back to sleep. This left Duo with a little more time to think about the upcoming week. After a fitting on Monday, he had his first photo shoot for Spalding Formal Wear on Tuesday and Wednesday. With the money he'd receive from that job, he could easily pay for the loot he'd take from the freighter he was scheduled to stop and board on Friday. He'd have to spend Wednesday evening coordinating things with Taylor, going over the event he was scheduled to attend Friday night. He'd leave early Thursday and make the journey to the ship to make sure all systems checked out before he and his crew left the planet Friday morning. He would return planet side Saturday.

Now that his mind was working ahead, he was beginning to feel restless. He needed to get up and get packed. He carefully placed his wrist over Heero's hand and attempted to lift the heavy arm from off of his waist, hoping to remove himself from the bed without waking the other man. He only made it as far as sitting up before Heero's groggy voice asked, "Where are you going?"

"I've gotta get packed." He tried to stand but Heero grabbed hold of his wrist and held him in place. That hold lasted only until Duo turned his head and looked at the reclining man. His serious expression successfully conveyed the message that Heero needed to let go, which he did. Playtime was over; he had to get back to work. With his wrist freed, he stood and walked into the bathroom, aware that Heero was watching his retreat, probably focusing on his sore and naked ass.

After a quick shower and re-braiding his hair, Duo returned to the bedroom with a towel wrapped around his waist to find Heero sitting up, his back cushioned by several pillows set against the headboard and the blankets pulled up to his waist. He gave him a smile before going to the closet and pulling out his suitcase. There was very little to pack simply because he hadn't worn anything but a towel or robe since returning to the room Friday night. Only his toiletry bag had been used with any frequency.

"I wish this weekend didn't have to end," Heero said softly, watching him from the bed.

"Me too. Unfortunately, there are schedules to meet, contracts to fulfill and money to be made. And for you, Relena Peacecraft to find and ship raiders to catch."

"Funny how those things fade in importance when I'm with you."

Duo turned his head to make sure that Heero wasn't pulling his leg. There was a soft smile on the other man's face and Duo found the urge to go to him and kiss him until his toes curled almost impossible to deny. He resisted, though, and quickly returned to his packing. "Then I guess it's a good thing I'm needed back on Earth, then you can get back to work."

After a moment Heero sighed, resigned to the inevitable. "I suppose you're right, but everything in me says I should go with you, to forget my job and everything else that, before I came here, seemed so important. Everything else pales in light of what we've had this weekend, Duo."

"Then what would happen to Relena?"

Duo could see that his question finally brought Heero back to the reality of their situation. Sure, they'd had a great time together, but it was over. They both had jobs that needed doing. "Listen, let's not make this goodbye any harder than it has to be. We both have places to go, things to do. We had a great weekend together but now it's time to get back to work."

"I'm not saying goodbye, Duo." He looked up from the armful of clothing in his hands to see the earnest look in Heero's eyes as he continued. "This weekend was more than I'd ever hoped for, but this is just the beginning for us. I will see you again and as soon as I'm able, all right?"

Not convinced, Duo shook his head. "Our lives are complicated, Heero. I'm just not sure we can make this work."

Heero climbed out of the bed and walked in all his naked glory to him, and just as Duo straightened from putting the clothes into his travel bag the other man gripped him firmly by his shoulders, making sure he had Duo's full attention. Heero looked him in the eyes and said, "I love you, Duo. I lost you once, I won't make the mistake of losing you again." Heero kissed him then, as if he were trying to convince him of the truth of his words, and for several blissful moments, he did.

When they were forced to break for air, both men rested their foreheads together as they paused to catch their breath. Duo smiled as he murmured, "Yeah, I suppose we can figure out some way to make this work." He then caught the time displayed on the alarm clock on the bedside table, reminding him of the lateness of the morning. "Do you think you could order some breakfast for us while I finish packing? I really am running a bit late."

So while he finished gathering up his belongings, Heero placed an order with the kitchen for a full breakfast for two.

_______________________

Duo Maxwell's fixed his grin and affected the look of adoration for the beautiful, painfully thin blonde model in his arms. He was dressed in a classic, black, three piece tuxedo; she was draped in a pale yellow chiffon evening gown. They paused and posed yet again as the photographer readied himself and took the shot. Another pose was required and given, then directions for a more serious expression was requested. This was the sixth and last change of clothing for the day, and the male model could hardly wait to get out of there. One of the reasons that kept him from bolting was knowing that he had to return tomorrow for another shoot. The reward for seeing this assignment through was knowing the moment he signed out on Wednesday afternoon, a hefty amount of credits would be automatically deposited into his account.

"Do something spontaneous," Mr. Autry, the photographer, suggested.

Looking at the other model, Duo could see her moving closer, intending to kiss him, probably thinking that was about as spontaneous as you could get with the fancy duds they were wearing. Knowing from Janee's earlier flirting that her intentions weren't strictly professional, he winked at the young woman then quickly bent to scoop her up in his arms and slowly swung her around in a circle, careful not to hit the background picture of an elegant terrace. The camera's shutter clicked again and again as he swung Janee around in circles, both of them laughing.

"I'm dizzy, Duo. Put me down," his beautiful partner for the day complained in a breathless voice.

Slowing the spin to a stop, he carefully set her high-heeled feet on the floor and steadied her until he was sure she could keep her balance.

"Very good!" Mr. Autry said, looking up from his camera. "That's a wrap for today. Thank you both, Mr. Maxwell and Miss Trevestes. You were both stunning. I'm sure Everett will be pleased with what we have so far." Duo spent a few minutes in polite conversation with the photographer and model regarding the shoot the next day before high-tailing it to his dressing area, where he stripped off the expensive evening garments and dressed in his own black jeans, pale blue turtleneck and black leather jacket and boots.

Outside the studio, the skies were gray above New York and a gentle, or rather, miserable mist had everyone's umbrellas out. Duo was glad he'd thought ahead and brought his own. He really didn't mind the less-than-desirable weather, in fact, he decided to walk back to his apartment.

Duo felt great, knowing that his bank account was one day away from reaching a new high. Of course, he'd have to remember to take out enough to pay taxes. When tax time rolled around, the books would show that he made a bad investment or two, accounting for where a good deal of his earnings went, and he'd more likely than not have just enough write offs to make everything look legitimate. Not many people had a business genius as their tax advisor. Quatre would make sure everything was in order and would pass muster with the IRS at the end of the year, that is, if he wasn't in prison.

While walking down the damp streets, only a small part of his mind was on the traffic and people approaching or passing him on the sidewalk. His thoughts returned to Heero and the weekend they'd spent in bed together. Getting involved with him again was a serious complication to his complicated life and a definite threat to his future. But damn, just thinking about the blue eyed Preventer set his blood on fire.

By the time he reached his front door, he still hadn't come up with a solution to the dilemma Heero presented. He set his umbrella in the basket by the door and looked up to see the message light on his phone blinking. He wondered if Heero had called. He'd already received a text message as well as an email from the other man, reminding him of things said and done while on the moon together. As good as his word, Heero had no intention of fading out of his life. But at the moment his Preventer lover had more on his plate than ever. Not only was he the lead investigator on Relena's and the marauders' cases, he now had another case, a new priority and worry. Preventer Agent Chang Wufei was presently unaccounted for, missing.

Heero had sent him a message stating that Wufei was last seen on L3, where he'd rented a speed shuttle, which was never returned. In his email, Heero also said there had been no calls or emails to Une, himself or any of their acquaintances. Heero had been given the added assignment of searching for clues in trying to discover the whereabouts of the decorated Preventer. He joined Heero in worrying about their friend and fervently hoped Wufei was all right.

Walking towards his phone, Duo could only hope that the message was from Heero, and that he had some good news regarding their missing friend.

"Duo, it's me." It was Quatre. "I need you to call me as soon as you get in. Use the preferred phone." That was the end of the message. Duo immediately erased it, then listened to the next message. Despite his worry for Wufei, he was thrilled to find Heero had left yet another message. Duo smiled at hearing the other man's voice. Somewhere along the line Heero had turned from a stoic, no-nonsense soldier boy into a romantic. "I can't close my eyes without seeing you," Heero confessed. "And when I imagine you, your hair is down around your bare shoulders and your eyes are glazed with passion. I'm counting the days until we can be together again."

After playing the message twice, Duo went on to the other messages: three from people either he or Taylor had dated and two designers looking for a favor. He jotted down the information he needed a reminder for, then erased everything except Heero's message, which he would listen to again later. Heeding Quatre's request that he call immediately, he walked to the end of the hall and took the hidden stairs down to Taylor's apartment.

After opening the door in Taylor's apartment, Duo called out to his friend. Taylor obviously heard him because he met him halfway down the hallway. Duo grinned at the other man's appearance. His double was wearing a blond wig and tinted glasses. He guessed the man had either just come in or was about to leave because this was only one of several disguises Taylor wore when he wasn't on the job. Even with the disguise, anyone who chanced to see the two of them together would probably wonder if they were related, so similar were their facial features. However, having removed the tinted contacts that gave Taylor his unique eye color, and his hair now covered by a wig, the other man no longer looked exactly like him.

Taylor gave him a cheeky grin and asked, "What's up?"

"Hey, Tay. I've gotta use the vid phone, then we need to talk," Duo said as he walked past his friend to enter the guest room.

He went directly to the desk and powered up the communication device that was used when discussing schedules or anything else they didn't want connected to their home phones. They'd set this phone up under Taylor's name in case someone wised up to what they were doing and looked at his personal phone records. Duo then dialed the memorized number and waited a short while before the phone on the other end was picked up. A moment later the image of the famous business man popped onto the screen. "Thanks for calling me back, Duo," Quatre said in greeting, his usual smile missing.

"What's up?" Duo asked, worried about the air of seriousness emanating from his friend.

"You've heard about Wufei's disappearance?"

The braided man nodded, his brow creased with worry. "Heero emailed me about it. I hope he's all right."

"Wufei's fine; he's joined us."

Duo's eyes widened with shock. "What? How the hell did he find out?"

"He put two and two together and was in the hanger when Trowa, Howard and the guys reached the satellite. He decided to join us rather than turn us in."

"Holy shit." Duo said, raking his fingers through the hair over his forehead. "Does he know everything?"

"Not about you, and we're going to try and keep your part in this from him."

Duo shook his head. "Not gonna work, buddy. If he put two and two together and came up with yours and Trowa's involvement, it won't take him more than a week to figure out there's another ship out there raiding freighters. Don't you think he'll figure out that the other pilot is me?"

Quatre shook his head. "Remember we're near the end of this operation. We just have to be smart during the next couple of weeks and keep our secrets to ourselves. Howard's crew, having been seen by Wufei, will brief him on their procedures before taking him on a run and see how things go. But in order to keep Wufei from guessing that there's another shuttle and pilot, especially when this is all over, we'll have to change things a bit."

"Such as...?"

The blond looked directly at the camera as he answered, "You're next run is cancelled."

"No way!" Duo said vehemently. "If I don't go the people on L2 will go hungry."

"I didn't mean no one would make the run, just that you won't add another ship to the list the Preventers are collecting. Howard will take your assignment, though I think they're heading out tonight instead of Friday. I would like you to be prepared to leave at a moment's notice in case something goes wrong with Wufei, so you should arrange with Taylor for him to take your place if necessary. I'm certain we can trust Wufei's word, but we're practicing caution until we're certain. Rashid's people have a shipment of goods wrapped up and ready to ship in case of an emergency. You'll deliver that shipment to the colony next week and return home. We'll see what happens after Wufei's first run before we decide how to proceed. I've already spoken with Rashid and he's agreed to get your shuttle ready."

"This gets more complicated all the time," Duo groaned and ran his hand through his bangs. "How many more people can we pull into this operation without word leaking out?"

"It goes no further. If everything goes as planned, we won't have to do this for more than a few more weeks.

"How do we know that Wufei didn't fake defection from Preventers just to get as much information as he can in order to have you and Trowa arrested and prosecuted?"

"He already caught Trowa red handed and came here to question me. He knows we're involved and could have arrested us on the spot, but he didn't. He was genuinely affected by what he saw on L2 and he wants to help."

"What do we do if Heero figures this out?"

"He'd have to catch us red handed, like Wufei did," Quatre replied. "I think it would be in our best interest not to tell him about any of this. He'd have to choose between us and Preventers and I don't want to put him in that position."

"Yeah, me neither," Duo answered thoughtfully.

"Speaking of Heero, how was your weekend?" There was a long pause as Duo considered his answer. "Come on," Quatre urged with a teasing grin, "you can tell me. Was it as good as you remembered?"

In spite of the previous serious conversation a moment ago, Duo couldn't help but smile back. "Even better."

"Come on, tell me."

"You're such a girl, Winner," the model chuckled. "I don't happen to be a kiss and tell kind of guy. Suffice it to say that it was hot and that I'm head over heels for the guy and scared to death at the same time."

With a look of sympathy the blond said, "I understand, Duo. But I'm sure everything is all going to work out between you two. Once this is over, you can start again and have a real relationship with Heero."

"Are you kidding?" Duo couldn't believe his ears. "I'm going to have to hide this chapter of my life from him for however long we last, which, despite the odds against it, I'm hoping for a lifetime."

"Total honesty, in some situations, can be overrated," the blond said, further shocking his friend.

"You're shittin' me?"

"In the business world I've learned that honesty is important, but so is withholding information that is pertinent to my personal life, company operations and strategies for growth. There are some things that are best kept to oneself, and believe me, your being one of the marauders should be at the top of the list of things to keep from Heero."

"I hate lying to him," the braided man said quietly, "especially when he's determined to make things work between us."

"We decided early on in this venture that we were going to have to lie when necessary to keep from being apprehended. L2 needs us more than you need to have a completely clear conscience, Duo. Lying has become a necessity for us."

"I know, I know," Duo agreed. "But I don't have to like it, do I?"

"Would you prefer spending the next twenty years in a colony prison?"

"No."

"Then keep your secrets to yourself and remember the ultimate goal."

"L2's survival and freedom."

"That's right. I think it's more important than ever that you keep Heero's thoughts engaged. If he's thinking about you and what happened last weekend, he won't be at the top of his game."

"I'm not a whore, having sex with him just because you said to, Quat," Duo snapped.

Seeing that his friend was upset, Quatre rushed to reassure him. "Of course you're not, and I'm sorry if my suggestion made you feel that way, but the power of attraction between you and Heero is something we can't afford to ignore."

"Power of attraction," the braided man scoffed. "There's more than that between us." Then more solemnly he added, "He said he loves me, Quat, and I think there's the potential for us to have a relationship like what you and Trowa have."

The blond's smile was soft, his eyes understanding as he replied. "I know, Duo. It's always been there, just under the surface, hasn't it? All these years you've been harboring feelings for Heero, regardless of what he did to you." When the braided man didn't answer, Quatre made another suggestion. "Just keep in touch with him, remind Heero of how much you need him. That's true enough, isn't it?"

Duo nodded his head. "But that's just about the only truth I can tell him, isn't it?"

"Not the only truth. Tell him how you feel about him, that you're happier with him in your life. Just don't share with him your secrets, the ones that will force him to choose between you and his job."

After taking a moment to think it over, Duo nodded. "All right, but keep me informed about how things go with Wufei. I'll talk to Taylor about the schedule change but have him ready to take my place Friday in case you need me. I'll probably make the trip to the shuttle just to make sure everything is set to go."

The call ended a few moments later, leaving Duo to sit in the quiet room for several moments, collecting his thoughts before moving on to the next task. So now Wufei was involved. How would the Preventer explain his absence once L2 was freed? He felt an enormous amount of guilt in knowing that his former comrade had jeopardized his career, something that was very important to him. He tried yet again to shake off his guilt. "We all chose our own path," he reminded himself.

Standing, he walked to the bedroom door and turned out the light before leaving the room. He found Taylor in the living room, watching T.V. while waiting for him to finish his call. "Hey," Taylor greeted him again, not bothering to get up.

Duo threw himself down onto the other end of the brown leather sofa. "Listen, Tay, my schedule's been changed, but Quat told me to be ready to leave at a moment's notice if the need arises. So you might or might not need to take my place on Friday, all right?"

"You bet. Have you decided which event you want me to go to?"

"There are two to pick from, a private party with other models and yet another movie premiere. I think the one with the least potential for exposure is the movie. I had a personal invite from Shannon Smythe. You haven't gone out with her before so, just to fill you in, she's one of the top 10 actresses in Hollywood and co-starring in the romantic comedy that's premiering Friday, as the leading woman's best friend."

"Oh hell, not another chick flick!" Taylor groaned, throwing his head back to rest on the back of the sofa.

"A necessary evil, I'm afraid." Duo couldn't help the smile creeping up at the corners of his lips. Better Taylor than him, he thought.

"All right. Give me Shannon's number and I'll confirm."

"I already did, last week," Duo chuckled at the other man's frown. "Hey, I hate socializing with a bunch of models, and it's never good form to keep a girl waiting too long." "So how well do you know this chick?"

"I took her to lunch a few times when I was in L.A., so we'll need to go over what we did and said, just in case she brings up the past. But I also need to bring you up to speed with Heero."

"You met up with him on the moon?"

Duo blushed, feeling a bit shy about speaking so frankly with a straight man about his tryst with Heero. "We didn't leave the hotel room all weekend."

"Don't tell me." Taylor held up his hand. "I know you're gay and all, but there's only so much I can take."

"All right. I just wanted you to know that we're.... I don't know... involved, I guess."

"This complicates things, doesn't it?"

"Oh yeah," Duo sighed and rubbed his weary eyes. "And you need to avoid him at all cost. Let's order in some Indian food and I'll bring you up to date with everything you need to know about both Shannon and Heero."

Taylor stood up to go to the kitchen where he kept a list of take out restaurants in a drawer. Duo called out from his seat on the sofa, "And if you have any, bring me a beer. I really need one."

TBC


	37. Chapter 38

**Lies Between Friends and Lovers**

Warning: Not intended for those under 16. Sexual content.

**Chapter 38**

It was ten p.m. by the time Duo was ready to turn in for the night. A bit early for some people, he thought, but not for him. When in the middle of a shoot, he always turned in early to make sure he looked his best the next day. But that wasn't the only reason for his turning in early that night; he had an ulterior motive. By design, he'd slipped on the same satin sleep wear Heero had seen him in on the day he'd knocked on his door then reached for his phone and dialed the number he'd committed to memory. Then lying down on his bed with the phone resting against his ear, he listened to the second and then the third ring, absentmindedly stroking his fingers over his bare chest. A smile grew on his face the moment Heero said hello.

"Hey, lover," he replied to the other man's greeting with a low chuckle.

"I like the sound of that," Heero replied. "Is everything all right?"

"Everything's great. Had a photo shoot today that's going to have my accountant singing the hallelujah chorus. How was your day?"

"Not quite as successful. I'm afraid I have some disconcerting news."

"What?"

"Wufei is still missing and I haven't found any new leads."

Duo took a long moment before reacting, hoping Heero would take it as his being shocked. "None at all?"

"He hasn't been seen since his departure from L4 on Saturday."

"Wasn't he visiting Quat and Trowa?"

"Quatre reported to another agent that Wufei had been at his house the day before. They'd had dinner together and talked about the marauders. Wufei told him he was leaving L4 to interview the crew of a transport freighter what had been boarded by the thieves. For some reason he turned the shuttle around and assigned the local Preventers to interview the crew in his stead. Shortly after docking on L4 he rented a small ultra craft and left the colony. That's the last anyone has seen of him."

Duo sounded thoughtful as he said, "You've worked with him before. Is it like Wufei to take off and not tell anyone?"

"We're often left to our own devices when working out in the field, though he's usually very good at reporting in on a regular basis."

"So this is unusual enough for us to worry about?"

"No, but something about this doesn't feel right. First Relena disappears without a trace and now Wufei."

"Do you think they're related?"

Heero sighed deeply. "I don't know. Relena was definitely on Earth when she disappeared and Wufei on L4."

"Damn, Heero. What's going on? We both know that Wufei isn't an easy target. Do you think someone abducted him, too?. What else could have happened to him?"

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, Duo. For all I know Wufei might be following a lead and just hasn't had the opportunity to check in."

"I hope that's all there is to it."

"Yeah, me too."

With a audible sigh Duo said, "Guess that means I won't be seeing you for a while."

There was a pause before Heero replied. "I might have to come back to Earth soon, if only to confer with Milliardo and Noin on Relena's case and to check out Wufei's apartment to see if he left any notes or hints of what leads he was following."

"Well, if it's this weekend I'm afraid I'll be too busy to get together. I've agreed to escort an acquaintance of mine to a movie premiere and after party this Friday. It will probably take me all Saturday to recover."

"Another movie premiere? Do you do this often?"

"New movies come out all the time, Heero. And they like to open in New York and other major cities. Besides, it's good for my career."

"How about Sunday, if I happen to be in the area?"

"Sanq is not exactly a neighbor to New York, Heero. How are you going to manage that?"

"I don't know. I probably won't make it there, but I just really want to see you again."

Duo's voice softened. "Yeah, me too. I miss you already."

"We'll get together soon, I promise. As soon as Wufei is found I'll figure out a way for us to meet."

"I keep thinking about last weekend, Heero." Duo's voice was nearly a purr as his fingers moved slowly down his chest, opening the robe as he moved down towards the waistband of the boxer shorts. "Um... I can see you in my mind and feel your hands on my body. Damn, Heero, have I ever told you that you've got the best hands. I'm getting hard just thinking about you touching me."

Heero's resulting moan was deep and sexy. "Where are you and what are you wearing?"

Duo chuckled, thinking he was really going to enjoy this game. "I'm in my bed, wearing the robe and boxers I wore when you and Wufei came a-knocking."

"Wish I was there, seeing you, touching you."

"You are touching me, Heero. Move your hands over me. Tell me what they're doing."

"Your chest," Heero hummed. "My palms are running over your chest, and I'm pinching your nipples when I pass by them. Not hard, but just enough to tease. Your skin feels soft and warm. I can't seem to get enough of touching you."

"Umm, yeah." Duo's hands moved over his chest, his mind imagining them to be Heero's.

"I can see you getting rather excited under your boxers," Heero said with a playful chuckle. And then a bit more soberly he added, "And I want to touch you, run my hand over the satin until you're firm in my grasp."

"That's good," Duo purred with a pleased grin, following Heero's words.

"Spread your legs for me."

A shiver shot up Duo's spine. He'd loved it when Heero took charge. A strong man was such a turn on. "Should I keep my boxers on?"

"Yes, for now. I love the feel of the cool cloth with your warm skin beneath it."

Duo had a good imagination and it wasn't difficult at all to let his hands become his lover's.

After several moments Heero asked, "Are you ready to go further?"

"Oh yeah. Damn, I want you, Heero," Duo said in a breathy voice.

"Lift your hips while I pull your boxers down."

Duo moved quickly to slip off the slinky garment. "Now what?" His breathing was a bit rapid, his voice strained with need.

"I want to sit back and take my time looking at you. You're beautiful and I don't ever want anyone else to see you like this. Say that you are mine, Duo. Tell me again how much you want me."

"God, Heero," the braided man moaned. "I'm yours. I've always been yours. I need you to touch me again, to love me and make me come."

"I love kissing you," Heero said in a deep, sultry voice, prolonging the game by not giving into Duo's need for completion. "And after I've kissed your mouth thoroughly, I'll move to your neck. You like your neck kissed, don't you?

"Hell yeah."

"Now I'm sucking on your neck, marking you as mine before I kiss my way down your body."

Duo arched his chest upward, imagining Heero's warm, wet lips marking a trail down the center of his body. His fingers ghosted above his skin, teasing his bare flesh.

Heero continued, keeping his voice soft and seductive, displaying a gift for describing scenes playing out in his mind.

Never having done anything like this before, Duo was slightly surprised by how turned on he was by Heero's suggestions and his low, sexy voice. He was pretty sure he wasn't going to last much longer. "Hurry, Heero. I can't take much more," he whispered in a raspy voice.

"I'm wrapping my hand around you now, Duo, stroking you gently. I love to watch the passion burning in your eyes and the flush of color rise on your cheeks. And with my lips feel the speeding pulse in your neck."

Damn, Heero could write romance novels for gay men. His descriptions perfectly matched his memory of the other man's talented mouth on his neck, hell, and every where else. The weekend they'd spent together, making love and mentally cataloguing each touch, kiss, reactions and words spoken so they would each have a memory to take with them when they went their separate ways. Fisting himself, Duo matched the rhythm Heero set as he dictated his movements.

With a low groan, Duo managed to utter Heero's name just before squeezing his eyes closed and climaxing, his warm cum spurting onto his belly.

Heero hummed with satisfaction, reveling in the erotic sounds. "Tell me I was the best you've ever had, Duo."

"The best ever," Duo replied breathlessly and without a second thought. "So good, man. Never did anything like that before."

"Glad I could be your first," Heero said with an amused chuckle.

"You were, ya know? My first... in almost everything."

"I hope to be the last, too."

"The last?"

"The first and last love of your life, Duo. I want what's happening between us to be the real thing. The happy ever after everyone dreams about."

Duo paused for a moment, ignoring the cooling substance on his belly as he considered Heero's words. Once he'd caught his breath, he replied, "I don't know if there's such a thing as "happy ever after", but if there is I think that's what I want, too. With you."

A feeling of contentment seemed to pass between the two men over the phone, but after a moment Duo began to feel a bit uncomfortable and reached over to the bedside table for a tissue to clean himself off. "That was great, Heero, but what about you? You want me to return the favor? Tell you what I'd like to do to that gorgeous body of yours?"

There was a slight pause before Heero answered a bit hesitantly. "No. I think I'll take a rain check for when we're together again."

"Are you sure? I've got a pretty good way with words and I think about being with you a lot, probably more than I should. So I'm kinda confident that I can make it good for you."

"You might be good with words, but they can't compare with your hands and body. I can't wait to hold you again, Duo. Having you in my arms, your body next to mine, it's all I can think about."

Shrugging off the momentary guilt he felt for having succeeded in distracting Heero from his job, knowing it was self-serving, Duo decided to make it up to him by giving him with the truth. "That's what I want, too." He yawned and stretched, finally kicking off the satin boxers from around his ankles. Damn, telling the truth felt so good. It was kind of liberating.

"You're tired. Go to sleep, love, and ream of us. I'll call you as soon as I can figure out what's going on this weekend. I want to see you."

"Heero?"

"Yeah."

"Tell me again that you love me."

There was a smile in Heero's voice as he said, "I love you, Duo. You're my everything."

"Call me."

"I will. Goodnight, love."

"Night... lover."

After disconnecting the call, Duo couldn't help but smile as he pulled his blankets up and over his half naked body and curled around his pillow, imagining it was Heero. With a busy day ahead of him he followed his usual ritual, mentally making a list of everything he needed to accomplish before Friday. Having finished that task, and with one final yawn, he stretched to put the phone on the bedside table and turned off the lamp. Then settling down once again, he began to drift off to sleep, his last lucid thoughts were centered around his handsome lover.

Tbc


	38. Chapter 39

**Lies - Between Friends and Lovers  
**Chapter 39

Wufei spent the remainder of the weekend safely ensconced within the Winner/Barton home. He spent a great many hours speaking with his former comrades, but also excused himself to retire to his room to meditate on his decision to join their clandestine humanitarian effort.

Before the artificial lights of the morning cycle began to glow on Monday morning, he and Trowa returned to the satellite with fresh food for Howard and the other two men and enough supplies to last several days. Having been warily greeted by those satellite-bound men and, after reassuring them all was well and that Wufei had joined them, he and Trowa set out in the stealth shuttle with Wufei's rented ultra shuttle in tow. Piloting in a pre-determined, roundabout way, designed to avoid the regular travel lanes, they selected a rather isolated spot and ditched the small, slightly tampered with ship just outside regular travel lanes before making their way back to the resource satellite once again.

By Tuesday evening Wufei found himself on the cloaked shuttle once again, but his time he was on his way back to Earth, accompanied by Howard and his crew, minus Trowa. The two burly men, obviously the muscle of the operation, remained nameless, mainly because they refused to acknowledge or even talk to the newest member of their crew. He guess he couldn't blame them for being cautious, seeing that he was a Preventer and had basically threatened their freedom only a few days ago. The purpose for this trip, or so he had been told, was to perform routine maintenance on the ship and refuel it. Evidently, they were also going to be restocking the supplies they'd need to survive the next couple of weeks.

Riding in the small passenger section of El Diablo, Wufei had little to do for several hours but look out the port window. The stealth system remained engaged after their entry into Earth's atmosphere, which caused a distorted view of the planet below. Though he could pick out blurred splotches of blue and brown, he couldn't determine with any accuracy what part of the planet they were flying over.

Wufei didn't like being kept in the dark, yet he understood the reason for his not being told everything. He was most likely being tested. After all, he was a turncoat, and no one in their right minds would trust a traitor until they proved beyond a doubt they could indeed be trusted. He'd been AWOL from Preventers radar for over three days now, and no doubt word of his disappearance had reached Une, Heero and anyone else who might be interested. The discovery of the ultra shuttle he'd rented on L4, currently drifting several hundred kilometers from L1, would confirm their fears that something untoward had happened to him. No doubt Preventers would act immediately and begin an investigation to his sudden and unexplained disappearance.

If he wasn't mistaken, his case surrounding disappearance would be assigned to Heero, adding yet one more mystery for him to solve. He regretted adding another burden to his sometimes partner, but hopefully it wouldn't be for long. For some reason, unbeknownst to him, Quatre and Trowa both believed that the blockade around L2 would be lifted within a few weeks. They refused to tell him why they believed that was true when the blockade had been in place for several years. Still, he believed them, and agreed to work with Howard and Trowa in order to keep supplying the colony with water, food and other essentials for as long as the blockade stood or until they were caught. He was working on blind faith that the latter of those two endings wouldn't come to fore, trusting his friends to continue eluding capture or discovery.

What they were engaged was legally wrong, as seen by the law, and because the marauders had been operating for several years now, Une was under pressure by colonial governments to do something. She was growing more anxious by the week to catch the marauders and try them as thieves and hijackers. The sentence, if they were indeed caught and convicted, would be stiff, possibly even life sentences, in spite of the fact that they were on a mission of mercy. He had no wish to spend the rest of his life in prison nor to send his friends there either. To avoid that end, he would follow Quatre's plans and hope for the best. Shortly after departing the satellite, Howard came back from the cockpit to give him a detailed description of their operations - information he'd already gleaned from the reports from the hijacked crews that he'd gone over more time than he could count. Howard decided to quiz him, trying to test him by changing scenarios of how the crews of the ships they boarded might react. The older man seemed pleased by his responses. He'd based his answers from having memorized their procedures and knowing their main objective was to get the goods needed off the waylaid ships, pay for them and leave without anyone getting hurt. The last point was paramount to their operation. While aiding L2 was their main purpose, not harming anyone in the process was deemed just as important.

It was dark when the shuttle touched down on a long runway in the middle of what appeared to be nowhere. Howard proved to be as good a pilot as he was a mechanical engineer when only a slight bump of the tires on the tarmac signaled the ship had touched down. It was the most polished landing Wufei had ever experienced. He recalled Heero telling him that Duo could land any flying vessel smoother than anyone he'd ever known. Wufei wondered if perhaps Howard had been the one to teach the former Deathscythe pilot how to fly.

The moment the stealth shuttle came to a complete stop, the cockpit door slid open and Howard popped out and quickly opened the outer hatch and quickly ushered Wufei through it. The two brawny crewmen followed close behind. The taller of the two had impressively large shoulders, a swarthy complexion and a dark heavy eyebrow that hovered over distrustful eyes that seemed to constantly be in motion. The second man was shorter by a few inches, however his brawn lacked nothing when compared to his counterpart. He wore his brown hair closely cut to his scalp, which accentuated his broad face that bore a long ragged scar down his left cheek. Howard glanced over his shoulder and frowned at the two, which Wufei could only interrupt was a silent reprimand for their stubborn refusal to speak to their newest crew member. Howard stopped their descent down the ramp to introduce them as Buck and Stu and explained that they were the muscle of the operation, taking care of loading and unloading the cargo they appropriated from the ships they stopped.

With introductions done, the four men continued to the end of the ramp. Once he was back on solid ground, Wufei followed Howard's instructions to stand off to the side while he and his men set about preparing the ship for their return to space. Actually, he was quite happy to do as Howard asked because it felt incredibly good to stretch his back and legs after being shuttle bound for several days.

He watched as the three competently performed the maintenance on the shuttle, with the help of several men, who seemed to have walked out of the dark to help. Their surprise was aided by their dark clothing and the masks that covered the entire head, most likely in an attempt to keep their identities from him. Several large crates were transferred to the cargo area with practiced efficiency, and a fresh supply of food and water were carried on board for the crews use. Forty-five minutes the maintenance was complete and the ground crew waved them off and the four men re-entered the shuttle to begin preparations for take off.

Once again Howard and Buck retreated into the cockpit, leaving Wufei standing in the small passenger cabin while the last crew member entered behind them. The man immediately turned to close the hatch. Wufei took the seat he'd been assigned to when they'd left the satellite, and after assuring the hatch was sealed, Stu, the shorter of the two Sweepers, strapped himself into the seat next to him. Once the shuttle began to taxi to the top of the runway, Stu turned to look across the short distance that separated them to address the Wufei for the first time.

"Preventer, huh?"

Wufei turned to the man, surprised that he was finally speaking to him. "Yes."

"I don't trust you." Which, going by the look on the man's face, was a true statement.

"Quatre and Trowa do."

"And that's the only reason why you're sittin' there and not doing the dead man's float out in space."

Wufei studied the man, trying to judge whether or not he would have to defend himself. Stu dismissed that concern when he continued speaking, obviously having been given the task of outlining what would be happening in the next couple of hours. "Howard said he'd given you the basics of what we do, but I'm gonna tell ya again. We have approximately four hours until we catch up with the target. It's comin' from a satellite that's used as a warehouse for goods sent from Earth to L3. We'll be in stealth mode for the entire trip and when we get in range, several warning shots will be fired to get the Eclipse's attention. Buck will issue a prerecorded warning and state our intentions to board the shuttle. They have the choice of opening the cargo hatch or we'll use a lazer to cut through the door, leaving a patch that will be expensive to repair. So far, no one has refused to open the door and let us in."

Wufei nodded that he understood and Stu continued. "We carry only stun guns, and though it's better not to have to use them, we set them off at the least sign of provocation. Some guys just can't help trying to be a hero when there's no need. Howard does all the talking while Buck and I haul out the goods we need form their cargo hold, and you're our backup. Buck and I can watch each other's backs; we're depending on you to watch Howard's. I don't have to tell you what will happen if he gets hurt, do I?" The threat in the man's brown eyes spoke clearly of the mayhem he intended if that unfortunate event came to pass.

"I understand."

"Buck and I have done this enough times that we can be in and out of there with the goods in twenty minutes, tops. The whole operation takes roughly forty minutes from the time we fire over their bow, barring any arguing by the captain and crew. The bag full of money usually shuts them up fast enough.

"Once we have the cargo transferred to our ship, you'll be the last to leave, again watching our backs. The moment we sever the connecting tube linking the two ships, we're out of there and on our way to L2. After that you can return to L4 or come stay at the satellite with me, Buck and Howard to await our next assignment."

"I suppose it depends on where Heero Yuy is," Wufei said thoughtfully.

Stu nodded his head, and there was a look of apprehension on his face as he said, "I've been told all about him."

"I suspect he'll be the one assigned to find out what happened to me. If he uses Quatre and Trowa's home as base, that will be the last place I should go."

"Then I guess you'll be staying with us and we're gonna to get to know each other real well over the next couple of weeks." The grin on Stu's face was less than reassuring.

"Yes, I guess we will."

_______________

Wufei had heard the term beginner's luck before, but he wondered in his case if it shouldn't have been beginner's _bad_ luck.

They reached the Eclipse on schedule and everything went as planned, to the point of entering the shuttle, dressed all in black and with ski masks covering their heads almost completely to keep them from being identified. To his displeasure, Howard found himself faced with not the captain, as requested, but with his first mate and several other grim looking crew members.

"I will deal only with your captain," Howard said in an intentionally low, gruff and commanding voice.

"So what are you gonna do about it, leave?" the burly man with the brown messy hair and untrimmed beard asked sarcastically. Howard immediately raised his stun rifle and blasted the man into unconsciousness. The five men surrounding him didn't look like they appreciate Howard's answer. Arguing ensued, which resulted with all five being laid out unconscious on the floor.

Using the intercom, Howard demanded the captain's presence. He waited two minutes before another man appeared, by himself, as originally requested. One look at the sight of five of his crew on the floor and the new comer's face displayed how furious he was. The man was about Wufei's height and dressed like the rest of the crew, in a faded blue flight suit. The only difference was the well-wore cap with the dingy white letters spelling out Captain above the bill.

Not trusting the cap to identify the man, Howard asked, "You're the captain of this ship?"

The white haired, middle-aged man's thin-lipped scowl looked permanently etched on his craggy face as he answered. "That's right."

"Why didn't you come as requested, instead of sending your men?"

"It was their idea."

Howard paused to considered that for a moment. While it was feasible that the crew was only trying to protect their captain, Wufei wondered what else this man's crew had up their sleeves.

"We need a portion of your cargo, for which we will compensate you in credits."

"What if we don't want to go along with this?" the man replied with a sneer of disgust.

"Then we take what we want and you'll get nothing."

"Like hell you will!" the captain shouted. It was either his volume or the words he spouted that triggered an immediate reaction from his crew. For no more than a heartbeat after spouting his challenge, a dozen men jump out from doorways lining the metal corridor, armed and ready to defend their cargo and captain.

Reacting immediately, Wufei pulled Howard behind the solid door of the open hatch, just as the first bullet pinged above the door. "These idiots are going to compromise the ship's integrity," he hissed in anger while the older man in front of him began to fire his stun gun.

The next few minutes were filled with the sounds of weapons firing and stun rifles igniting. Wufei decided that if anyone was going to survive the stupidity of these men, recklessly shooting bullets inside a space craft, he needed to do something and quickly. When a brief pause in the firing came, he threw himself forward, towards the nearest man. In less than three leaps he successfully tackled the ship's captain to the floor, knocking the gun out the man's cursing man's hand at the same time. Though the ship's captain was older, he was in excellent physical condition and was eager to fight, hand to hand. He soon learned, however, that he was no match for the dark-eyed marauder. In the end the crew was quickly immobilized once their captain had been captured and used at hostage Everyone member of Eclipse's crew threw down their guns as ordered and raised their hands to surrender. In order to secure the ship without any more mishaps, the entire crew was rendered unconscious by use of their stun guns. Wufei stood guard over the bodies on the deck while Howard rushed off with Buck and Stu to take what they needed from the cargo hold.

Alert to every sound and movement around him, Wufei waited impatiently for three marauders to return. It seemed the passage of time was defying the law of physics with it's slowness while he remained alert to ever sound and movement, his stun gun ready to fire. Fifteen minutes passed before the three men returned, though it seemed much longer to him. Their approach was surprising quiet, even with a large shipping container that had been secured by anti-gravity braces which helped Stu and Buck move the bulky box forward almost effortlessly into the connecting tube to El Diablo.

"We found what we needed, but we're running a bit behind schedule," Howard stated grimly. "I'm going to check out their cockpit to see if they managed to get off any messages before we blocked their signals. I doubt it, but I think I should check." He then turned and quickly disappeared down the ship's corridor.

Quicker than he thought possible, Buck and Stu came running out of the connecter tube, each carrying a grav brace under their arms. They disappeared in the direction of the cargo hold and, surprisingly, returned five minutes later with yet another large container. And so the process continued for three additional trips to and from the cargo hold.

Howard returned with a nod of satisfaction that told Wufei that no message had been sent. After giving him a pat on the shoulder, the older man disappeared into their own ship, probably tightening down the newly acquired cargo.

After the fourth crate disappeared through the hatch, Stu announced over his shoulder, "Last one. Just give us a minute to secure this in the hold and then we're out of here."

Wufei remained at his post though he was anxious to leave. This obviously was not the routine Howard was used to. Never, in all the reports he'd read, had a crew fought back before.

"You okay?"

Wufei turned as Howard came out of the hatch and watched as the older man began picking up the discarded weapons lying on the floor. "No use leaving these things lying around. It's obvious these guys like to cause trouble." Then, when it appeared he had picked up every last one, the older man straightened and looked at Wufei with a smile. "What do you say to us getting out of here?"

Wufei couldn't shake the feeling that they were forgetting something. Something was missing from the pattern the marauders usually followed. And then it came to him what was different. "You're not leaving the credits?"

The older man shook his head. "I warned the man."

"Then this would be stealing. That could be used against you in a court of law."

Rolling his eyes, the older man said, "That's the least of my worries." Then with a sigh he added, "But you're right. "I'll be right back."

Wufei sighed, letting out some of his pent up tension. Thus far the marauders had prided themselves on paying for what they'd taken, maybe escaping the worst of the theft charges if they were caught. Of course, hijacking was still the worst of all charges that would be leveled against them and the sentence for that, if convicted in a court of law, was something he didn't want to think about.

Howard returned and threw a nondescript canvas bag on the floor, next to the unmoving captain's body. "Let's get going."

Wufei turned to lead the way back into their ship when out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of a movement. He paused to investigate, and at that very moment the first mate raise his head from the floor and his whipped his hand out from beneath him to point a familiar object at Howard. Damn, Howard had missed one of the man guns that might have been on him or possibly beneath his body.

"Move!" He shouted while throwing himself in front of Howard, and in that instant the report of a gun firing filled the air. Searing pain burst through his upper arm. The low hum and _pfft_ of a nearby stun gun sounded as he fell against Howard's chest, the older man's arms wrapping around him to keep him from falling to the floor.

"Let's get the hell out of here!" Howard ordered. Even as Wufei struggled to get his feet to work under him, he was dragged out of the Eclipse and back into El Diablo. Once secured within their ship he was eased down onto the floor and only then did the supporting arms let go.

"Dammit. It wasn't supposed to go down like this!" Howard said, roughly pulling off the mask covering his head. His expression seemed to be torn between anger and worry as his hands began to roam the injured man's body, looking for additional wounds.

"Just my arm. Take off this mask."

Still frowning, Howard pulled off the face mask then unzipped the black flight suit. Without pausing he ripped off the bloody t-shirt beneath it then gently eased Wufei onto his side. "No exit wound. Looks like we're going to have to do some digging to get that out."

Knowing that all gunshot wounds had to be reported to the authorities, Wufei knew that he couldn't go to a hospital or doctor. He looked up to meet the older man's eyes. "Have you done this before?"

Howard offered him a slight smile. "Many times, unfortunately."

With a defeated sigh, the Chinese man resigned himself to the upcoming procedure. "You've got antibiotics, right?"

"Wouldn't leave Earth without them." The man was much too cheerful, Wufei groused.

After the connecting tube was retracted, the shuttle door was closed and secured by Buck. "You okay to take us out of here?" Howard asked over his shoulder.

The tall man moved towards them, his stun rifle in hand and his eyes focused on Wufei's injured arm.

Wufei's attention turned from what Howard was doing to address Buck. "Thanks for stopping him from taking a second shot."

"No thanks necessary," the tall, man replied just before pulling the cap off his head. "That shot was aimed at Howard's heart. If you hadn't moved to block him..." His voice trailed off. The idea of what had almost happened seemed too difficult for the man to continue. Clearing his throat, he said. "You're one of us now."

Wufei looked to Howard for his reaction. The older man simply smiled at him, then glanced back to the other man. "Get us out of here, Buck. Have Stu bring the first aid kit. I'm going to need him to help me dig a bullet out of newest crew member's arm."

Evidently, his actions had won the other men over. Wufei was now, apparently, officially, a marauder.

TBC


	39. Chapter 40

**Lies Between Friends and Lovers  
Chapter 40**

Heero Yuy was not a man given to spontaneity; he liked to follow a schedule. Wake up at a certain time each morning and eat his meals at seven fifteen a.m., noon and seven p.m. But now that Duo was back in his life and constantly on his mind he decided to prove his intentions towards the man by acting on his feelings, not over thinking or analyzing their next meeting. Though he had originally planned to conclude his business at Preventer headquarters in Sanq before flying to New York. to spend Sunday with Duo, he found himself unable to wait that long. Deviating from his original plan, he flew to New York first, arriving late Friday afternoon. He decided to surprise Duo by showing up at the Premiere his lover had mentioned he would be attending that evening. Duo had shown some sensitivity by informing him ahead of time that he would be in the company of another lovely actress. She was acquaintance only, Duo assured him. He often took various models to social events in order to keep up the facade of being a lady's man, which he said was so important to the companies that used him in their advertising. He would have to be careful not to unintentionally expose his lover's true sexual orientation, especially with a horde of photographers present. He just wanted Duo to see him in the crowd, letting him know by his appearance that he loved him enough to put him first.

Of course his deviation from his original plans meant he'd have to catch a plane for Europe the next afternoon, so he would have to make the most of the time he had with his lover and create a few more memories. He could only hope that nothing would stand in the way of he and Duo meeting up after the movie at his lover's apartment. He worried for a moment about whether or not he was being presumptuous, thinking Duo would change his plans for the evening after he saw him in the crowd. Heero shook his head. Duo had assured him that he was anxious for them to meet again, and he believed him. Duo never lied.

New York was enjoying a mild evening, if not a bit chilly and Heero was grateful for the lack of rain as he hadn't brought a raincoat or umbrella with him. He arrived at the theater half an hour before the movie was slated to start, and it was easy to see the festivities were well under way. Wearing a dark blue sports jacket, white button-down shirt and slightly faded blue jeans, he fit right in the crowd of spectators. He surveyed the hoard of photographers and entertainment news crews that were lined up on either side of a wide red carpet, a gauntlet of sorts for the invited guests, beginning from where they exited their cars at the curbside and continuing all the way to the theater's entrance. Heero scanned the selected group of movie attendees for his lover. No more than five minutes passed before yet another long white limousine pulled up to the curb and the explosion of light coming from the paparazzi cameras lit the night once more as they anticipated yet another celebrity. The uniformed chauffeur quickly moved around the car to the passenger door and opened it. To Heero's delight, Duo popped out, wearing his tinted glasses and dressed in black slacks and matching sport jacket with a white pleated front shirt beneath, which was open at the collar. He wore his hair loosely braided tonight, and his smile was bright and dazzling. Heero's heart into high gear, knowing that the handsome man being photographed and adored by the crowd belonged to him.

Duo turned and bent to offer his hand to the person still inside the car. Again the cameras flashed as a very pretty brunet stepped out onto the red carpet. She was tall and thin, though slightly curvy in all the right places, and looking very glamorous in her modest yet elegant sleeveless, pale purple sheath. A simple strand of glittering diamonds circled her slender neck, a prudent display of her success in the movie business. From behind the assembled group of reporters and photographers, Heero tried to visualize how others in the crowd might view the two newcomers. They were a strikingly handsome couple who, by their smiles and the radiant glow of happiness surrounding them, appeared to have the world at their feet, if even for just that moment. Funny, but thinking of them in that light hadn't lead him to feel one ounce of jealousy. No doubt he owed the lack of that negative emotion to his lover. Duo had been wise to forewarn him about his "date" tonight, for which he stated quite sincerely he had no feeling for other than mild friendship.

Heero watched as the smiling couple waved to the adoring crowd. Duo's eyes seemed to constantly move, scanning the crowd of people who had come out of their way to catch a glimpse of a celebrity or two. The famous model smiled pleasantly or gave a simple nod of his head to those who called out his name. For one moment, Duo's gaze turned his way and then stopped as he spotted him. Heero raised a hand to acknowledge the contact, but to his disappointment the other man's gaze immediately turned away. Heero's hand slowly lowered to his side, his brows pinched together. Though he was certain they'd made eye contact, if only for a moment, he had detected no sign of recognition in Duo's eyes. Could it be his lover hadn't recognized him? Heero really didn't believe for a minute that such a thing was possible. He'd always followed his instincts, and right now they were shouting at him that there was something very wrong here.

Keeping pace with the beautiful couple as they made their way down the red carpet, Heero pressed cautiously through the crowd towards the building's entrance, unable to take his eyes from the braided man. And with each moment that passed his initial sense of wrongness grew. He was only four feet away from his lover when Duo and Shannon Smythe approached the front doors of the theater. The need to understand what was going on had Heero suddenly calling out his lover's name. He held his breath as Duo's head turned his way, and once again their eyes met. Heero closely observed closely the other man's eyes behind the pale gray tinted glasses, at first looking curious and then suddenly widening. It didn't take a genius to read the long haired man's lips as he muttered, "Oh shit."

Speaking briefly to his female companion, the braided man left her side with apparent reluctance and moved in his direction, ignoring the small group of reporters and photographers who had not yet turned their attention to the black limousine pulling up to the front of the theater. As the model came to a stop approximately two feet away from where he stood, Heero was already studying every inch of the other man's face.

"What are you doing here?" the braided model asked with a tilt of his head and a nervous smile. Heero noted the twitch of those lips and the apprehension in the blue-violet eyes behind the glass lenses. The tone of Duo's voice was off, just slightly. A pitch higher than usual, though the L2 accent was clear. That difference could easily be written off as a normal reaction for someone having been taken by surprise, but then Heero noted something else, something highly suspicious. There was a slight rim around the corona of Duo's eyes. Why was the other man wearing contacts? All these oddities combined to bring the Preventer to one startling conclusion.

Reacting without thinking, Heero's arm shot out and he clasped the model's upper arm and forcefully led the stiffly-moving man into the theater. When security guards moved to intercept them, the braided man waved them off and allowed Heero to guide him inside to the more unpopulated side of the room. Tossing him against the wall, Heero pinned his captive in place by placing his hands on either side of his head. He then leaned forward until their faces were only inches apart.

With wide, frightened eyes the model tried to focus on the angry face in front of him as he asked in a shaky voice, "What's wrong, Heero?"

"I want to know what's going on here?"

The trapped man swallowed nervously. "I'm attending this movie premiere with Shannon Smythe, just like I told you."

"I want the truth and I want it now!" Heero ground out between clenched teeth, trying to keep his voice down.

The eyes behind the tinted glasses shifted, taking in their surroundings. "Listen, we can't talk here. Let me tell Shannon that something's come up and we can go to the men's room and talk this out."

Heero considered the suggestion for a moment while maintaining his stance, wondering if he could trust the other man not to run off. Though the braided man looked composed, there was definitely a look of fear in his eyes. "I'll give you one minute to make your excuses. Tell her you're sorry, but you need to leave."

The braided man frowned. "That's so not cool, leaving a girl in the middle of a date. Couldn't we met at my place after the show? I'm sure I can get away then."

Heero grabbed the other man's arm and held on tight enough to make him wince. "No, that won't work at all. I want to know what's going on now. I don't want to hurt you, but I will if my questions aren't answered."

Looking all the more frightened by that threat, the model gave a quick nod of his head. "All right. Just give me a minute to make my excuses."

"I don't have to warn you not to try running or calling for help, do I?"

Shifting his eyes around Heero's head, as if looking to see if either option was feasible, the brunet's shoulders slumped in defeat, realizing that any move on his part to escape the situation would be scandalous, especially with a press and paparazzi in such close proximity. "No, I know better than to pull something like that."

Removing the arm that had been blocking the other man's escape, Heero gave him a nod that suggested he could go. He watched as the braided man made a hasty retreat to the starlet who was now surrounded by several large looking men, hired muscle from the looks of it. By the worried look on the actresses face, it was clear she'd witnessed their little discussion.

True to his word, the handsome model left the actress after speaking with her for a few short moments. He then walked back towards him, wearing with an expression that plainly stated he wished he were going anywhere other than to the frowning man's side. Heero watched him come, eager to get to the bottom of this puzzle.

______________

Taylor swallowed nervously. How the hell had this happened? He couldn't believe his bad luck, having Duo's lover show up out of the blue like this. He recalled his boss saying Heero might show up on Sunday. So what the hell was he doing in New York on Friday night?

It wasn't his fault that he hadn't recognized Heero at first, though he did recall seeing a good looking guy of Asian decent in the crowd. He just didn't put that smiling face together with the picture Duo had shown him of the sober looking teenage gundam pilot. He'd almost had a heart attack when he'd turned around after hearing his name called and found himself faced with an unhappy Heero Yuy, not four feet away from where he stood. Shit, how was he going to get out of this without revealing Duo's secrets? He had to stall, somehow.

He could do it, he told himself. He'd faced danger before, as had anyone who lived on the streets, but looking into Heero Yuy's piercing blue eyes while the man attempted to delve into his brain for answers had him shaking in his designer shoes. Even though he was shaken, he had to admit Heero was as attractive as Duo described. If he were attracted to males, which thank God he wasn't, he could almost understand the attraction, physically at least. From their conversations, it was clear Duo carried a torch for this guy, but he couldn't help but wonder if the man he so closely resembled was a first-rate masochist, because it was pretty damn obvious that this Heero guy was an intelligent and dangerous man. Oh yeah, and a jerk.

Walking as confidently as possible, trying to keep up the act of being Duo Maxwell as much as possible, Taylor led Heero toward the men's room. He didn't so much as glance at the former gundam pilot as they went, but he could feel those steely blue eyes boring through his back. He wondered if there was even a remote chance of bluffing his way out of this predicament. Maybe he could get away and call to Duo, ask for his advice. No, that was impossible. Duo was on his way to L2, or maybe on his way back; he wasn't sure. Besides, he'd already been given instruction on what to do with regards to Heero. Of course, that advice had been to avoid the Preventer at all costs. A little late for that now, wasn't it? Maybe he could slip out of a window in the men's room, but he honestly couldn't remember from other events he'd attended in the past if there was one.

His arm was suddenly grabbed in a vice-like grip when they were a few feet short of the bathroom door. He looked over at Heero, frowning himself at being manhandled, to see what was going on, but the other man wasn't looking at him; he was busy scanning the surrounding area. "I think we should take this to the apartment."

While that might be appealing to Heero, being alone in Duo's apartment with the other man was the last thing Taylor wanted. There was safety in numbers, and he doubted the Preventer would try to hurt him too much in a public setting. Thinking that maybe he could bluff his way out of this, Taylor was prepared to try and reason with his boss's lover. "Listen, Heero," he began in his most Duo-ish voice. "I don't know what's gotten into you." From the stern expression on Heero's face it was clear he wasn't in the mood to listen, a fact that was reinforced when the other man moved forward and roughly pulled him through the bathroom door.

After determining they were alone, the Preventer pushed him up against the wall and, shockingly, kissed him. Taylor blinked. _What the hell_? So appalled by the experience and by the tongue pressing between his lips, that for a moment he stood frozen in place, unable to move or think clearly. It was a combination of pure instinct and revulsion that finally took over and enabled him to push the Preventer away. Stunned and staring with disbelief at the other man, Taylor felt sick after seeing the smug smile appear on Heero's face. Wiping his lips with the back of his hand, he knew without a doubt that he had blown it. There would be no more pretending he was Duo.

Heero looked triumphant as he said, "You can spend hundreds and thousands of credits on changing your appearance, but you can't change how you taste...or kiss. You're definitely not Duo. Now let's get out of here." Taylor nodded, realizing he really had no choice other than running out the door screaming for help and making a big scene. From what little he knew of Heero Yuy, he was positive he didn't stand even the slightest chance of escaping. "We'll have to leave the back way and grab a taxi," Heero added, thinking out loud. "There's a lot of press out front and my being seen with you after ditching your date will make a hell of a story if we're seen leaving. I'd rather not deal with the press tonight. Let's go." Heero grabbed hold of his upper arm once again and propelled him out of the bathroom and headed towards the exit sign at the back of the building.

Faster than it seemed humanly possible, Heero had him out the back door, in a cab and on their way to the apartment. Casting a glance aside at the Japanese man, Taylor was surprised to see Heero was staring at him. The man's unblinking gaze was unnerving and made him squirm in his seat. He expected to be questioned or accused, but not a word was spoken by either of them during their ride through the city. When they finally reached the front of the apartment building, Heero quickly paid the driver then took Taylor's arm again and muscled him out of the back seat and through the front door of the building. The security guard/doorman gave them a questioning look, but Taylor waved, signaling that everything was okay and the two of them continued forward to the elevator.

The silence between them stretched until they entered Duo's apartment and the door was firmly shut behind them. "So what gives?" he asked as Heero roughly turned him so they were face to face and only inches apart.

"Where is he?"

Those eyes were again threatening to bore a hole through his forehead. "He?"

"Duo. Where is he and who the hell are you?"

Jerking his arm out of the other's grasp, Taylor began to remove his jacket as he walked towards the living room. He tossed the garment over the back of the sofa before he sat down. Calm down, he told himself, willing his hands not to shake. This was the beginning of a disaster and Duo was going to kill him. That is _if_ Heero Yuy didn't beat him to it.

Heero followed him, but instead of sitting down he came to a stop in front of him. With arms folding over his chest, he gave the seated man a critical once over before saying, "I'll admit your resemblance to Duo is nearly perfect, but I spent last weekend re-memorizing everything about him: the pitch of his voice, every line on his face, every detail of when he laughs or frowns. Not only are your eyes not quite as large as Duo's, but you're wearing contacts and the braid is half an inch shorter and slightly thinner than his. I don't know who you are or what game you're playing, but you had better tell me where Duo is or I might have to use some rather painful methods of persuasion to get the truth out of you."

Despite trying to appear unaffected by the situation and maintaining a cool and calm expression, Taylor almost choked when he tried to swallow, and he could feel a trickle of sweat roll down his back. What should he say? Would the other man believe anything he might tell him when he'd basically been caught in an elaborate lie? Duo was going to be flaming pissed. He wondered if Heero was bluffing, trying to get information out of him.

Moving in a manner he thought Duo would, he shifted slightly so that he could straighten out his legs, avoiding the man in front of him while resting his heels on the coffee table. Trying to affect a weary sigh, he said, "I have no idea what you're talking about, Heero. I always wear contacts to events like this in order to protect my eyes from the flash of cameras. And it just so happens that I got my hair trimmed for the occasion."

He guessed Heero wasn't buying it when two hands grabbed hold of his shirt front and jerked him to his feet. Finding himself nose to nose with Heero was, needless to say, a daunting experience. Heero shifted slightly and then his braid was unexpectedly pulled, jerking his head back so that he had to look up his perfect nose to the angry man. "I'm not the kind of person you want to make angry. It would be in your best interest to tell me who you are and why you're pretending to be Duo."

Fear at the other man's threat almost had Taylor on the verge of swallowing his tongue. Maybe that's what cause him to irrationally strike back at the angry man in the only way he could. "What, are you going to do, tough guy, beat me to a pulp, just like you did before?"

The hand on his braid was suddenly gone, and it looked as if Heero's face had lost some of its color. Taylor found himself pushed back onto the sofa, and before he could move, Heero had him trapped once more. With narrow eyes and a threatening tone the former gundam pilot hissed, "Like I said, I don't want to hurt you. But if you've harmed Duo in any way, there won't be anyone to stop me from making you disappear."

The game was up, Taylor thought. This man was not going to second guess himself, and his concern for Duo might cause him to do something stupid, like killing him.

Letting go of the act, Taylor's shoulders slumped in defeat. "Duo said you were good. He warned me that if we came face to face you'd probably know right off I wasn't him."

"Duo knows about you?"

Taylor found the shock on Heero's face at least a partial reward for what he'd been though for the last half hour. "This," he made a sweep of his hand to include his face and body, "was Duo's idea." Then with a curious look he asked, "So, what gave me away?"

The tenseness in the other man eased somewhat, just enough that he could sit on the sofa next to him, though his gaze never wavered from his captive. "You're good, I'll give you that, but other than what I said a minute ago your walk is slightly different, as is the tone of your voice. Duo's voice is just a fraction lower. You do have the L2 accent down, though. Like I said, last weekend gave me plenty of opportunities to memorize every aspect of Duo. After a few moments of watching you, especially when you looked right through me after seeing me in the crowd in front of the theater, I knew you were an impersonator. My kissing you was valid proof of that belief. You're straight, aren't you? That's something else you can't fake. I just don't know whether you're doing this to help Duo or to hurt him. If it's the latter, then you are a dead man."

"I'm helping him." It was almost embarrassing how fast he blurted that out.

Heero paused a moment, probably to judge whether or not to believe him. Taylor breathed a sigh of relief when his captor nodded his head and asked, "So where is he?"

Now wasn't that the million dollar question? But what was he to say without making things worse? Heero might have guessed he was not Duo, but that didn't mean he knew their secrets. "I'm not sure. I'm just a stand-in for when he doesn't want to go to one of these things. There's only so many of these premieres and other idiotic social appearances he can stand. I do know he'll be back sometime tomorrow. If you want to stop by then, you can ask him yourself."

The Japanese man frowned and looked anything but pleased by his answer. After a moment his eyes narrowed slightly, but this time with determination blazing him the blue depths. "Fine, we'll wait for his return. Together."

________________

Taylor Mann, known as T-Man on the streets of L2 and by his gang, had somehow managed to survive the Alliance's occupation, the plague, near starvation and several cases of hypothermia. He'd attributed his survival to having planted himself near the shipping docks of L2. Handouts from docking Sweeper ships, freighters and stevedores who worked the docks had truly helped to save his scrawny ass. He learned to read and write, thanks to those men and women who hung around that area. That little bit of education had eventually helped him get a welding job, which led to him living in an apartment and having money in the bank.

When Hilde first took him to meet Duo, they both recognized a resemblance and wondered if they'd found a long lost relative, a brother perhaps. Duo insisted on getting a DNA test, which reported that they were not brothers, but that there was a good likelihood they were distant cousins. That news was good enough to cement the budding friendship that was growing between them, even before the surgeries began to make Taylor look like the mirror image of Duo Maxwell.

At first he'd been hired to replace Duo at social events the former Gundam pilot wasn't interested in attending. Despite his outgoing manner, Duo liked his privacy and preferred to be in the company of a few good friends rather than living the life of a celebrity and having people fawn over him and constantly taking pictures.

Then the sanctions against L2 were imposed and everything changed. When it became clear after a couple of months that the embargo was going to be long-term, Duo decided to do something about it and began making calls to his close friends. That's when he'd first been introduced to Howard, a man Duo held in the highest esteem. Howard came to visit him in New York, and after introductions had been made, the man wearing the two-tone beige Hawaiian shirt told Duo he'd been toying with the stealth system, had actually rebuilt it from memory and improved on it. Duo seemed very excited about that piece of news and quickly arranged for the three of them to meet together with Quatre Winner and his lover Trowa. Of course he'd heard of the Winner family, everyone in space knew of them, but he'd never thought he'd ever meet him in person.

After Quatre failed to convince the UEC that punishing an entire colony for the lawless few was unethical and immoral, he and Duo began to initiate a plan of their own, one that would bring aid to the helpless people on L2. In order for their operation to be a success, they would have to remain unidentifiable, which was made easier by the use a fast ship equipped with Howard's stealth system. The plan was to acquire everyday goods from freighters heading towards the colonies, loaded with supplies, for which they intended to pay for on the spot. Their goal wasn't to steal or hurt anyone, but to save a colony. A year from when the sanctions were on L2 were announced, the first shipment of goods, taken from a freighter shuttle on its way to L4, was delivered.

Taylor took Duo's place at a celebrity party while the former gundam pilot flew the stealth shuttle on its first mission of mercy, which is what Howard called their raids. To this day he recalled Duo's expression after he returned to his apartment from that first trip to L2. His face had been stony and his violet eyes blazed with anger from having heard Howard's eyewitness report about the conditions of his former colony. Howard had learned that the humanitarian shipments being sent to L2 by the UEC government were wholly inadequate to feed the people residing on that colony. The engineer reported that an untold number of people had already died from starvation, illness and violence. Groups and individuals fought for scraps of food, blankets, and a warm place to sleep. With pain in his eyes, Howard told them of the lethargy and helpless that blanketed the colony, of the thin and hungry people he'd encountered there. And though he was upset, angry and disturbed about what was happening on L2, Duo became excited that he and his friends were going to do something and make a difference in the lives of the forgotten.

Many changes were made on L2 within the first month of their operation. The remaining thugs and serious human rights violators had been disposed of by the very people they'd preyed on, with a little help from Howard's crew. Also, food distribution centers had been set up and a system to feed the colonists according to their needs had been instituted. Duo, though Howard, organized a group of men named the Guardians. They were called to be the colony's protectors, especially for the more innocent citizens. They became the watch dog group in charge of seeing that everyone had a roof over their heads and for settling squabbles that happened in their assigned areas. In a short amount of time reports came back to Duo indicating L2, despite its deplorable conditions, was thriving as well as it could, with the help of the marauders.

Three months later the second stealth shuttle was ready to join their cause. Duo's ship was stored in a hanger only a few hours flight from New York, while Trowa's remained in space, hidden in abandoned resource satellites owned by his lover . The two former gundam pilots took traded off raiding the colony-bound freighters, doubling the amount of supplies going to L2 and providing alibis in case suspicion about their involvement with the marauders came their way.

And now, after years of going undetected, and himself perfecting the act of being Duo Maxwell, he'd been caught and the future of so many hang in the balance. Feeling the ever watchful eyes of the dark hair Preventer on him, Taylor nervously bit his lip, hoping once more that he wouldn't say anything that might be detrimental to his and Duo's freedom.

If Friday night with Heero hadn't been bad enough, Saturday, for Taylor, was pure torture. He'd somehow managed to avoid answering Heero's pointed questions about stealth ships and how often Duo left town. He simply told Heero that he'd better take things up with his employer on his return, that he didn't appreciate being put in the middle of whatever lover's quarrel they were going to have the minute Duo walked in through the front door.

As the day progressed in an agonizingly slow manner toward evening, Heero positioned himself in the living room, in one of the side chairs he'd turned to face the front door. The look on the Preventer's face told him that Heero was willing to wait until doomsday or beyond for his lover to return home.

Although he hadn't been mistreated by Heero, he couldn't wait to get the hell out of there. Those blue eyes, peering out from underneath dark, unruly hair, scared the shit out of him. There was anger in those eyes as well as judgment. Who the hell was this guy to judge him anyway? Heero Yuy knew nothing, and the longer he remained in that state of ignorance that safer everyone involved in Duo's business would be. Duo was the most clever person he knew. He would definitely think of something that would get them out of this mess, he thought with confidence. Yet as hour after hour ticked by, he began to wonder if his friend would be able to come up with a convincing alibi when confronted by the man he was currently sleeping with. If only he could warn Duo ahead of time that he was about to walk into a very sticky situation.

"Knock it off." He jumped slightly, not knowing what Heero was talking about. Those piercing eyes narrowed as Heero's gaze lowered to the arms of the leather sofa, where his fingers were. Without realizing it, he had been drumming his fingertips along the edge of the armrest.

"Well excuse me." He rolled his eyes. "Is my breathing bothering you, too?"

"Yes, now that you mention it."

Taylor shook his head. What the hell did Duo see in this guy?

TBC

Author notes: Thanks to faithful reviewers. I know if everyone's life is as hectic as mine, it's sometimes hard to take the time review each chapter. So a special thank you goes out to the ever faithful reviewers and wonderful writers Snow, Kaeru S, Waterlily and Karina, who seem to find time in their equally busy lives to let me know what they think. Hugs to all.


	40. Chapter 41

Lies - Between Friends and Lovers  
Dyna Dee

CHAPTER 41

Trowa shut the door behind Agent Warfield, glad that the woman was finally out of the house. He turned and slowly let out a relieved sigh before stepping forward to begin the return trip to the study, where his lover waited. He and Quatre had anticipated someone from Preventers showing up to interview them when it became apparent to that organization that Wufei was unaccounted for; so they weren't necessarily caught unawares by Warfield's unannounced visit. The woman, however, had been doggedly determined to get any bit of information out of them about Wufei and their relationship with him as well as his last visit in their home. Her questions had quickly become tedious and tiring. Quatre was the focus of her interview as he was listed amongst those few who were the last to see the Preventer agent before his disappearance. He frowned, thinking about their "missing" friend. They'd received news from Howard about the near disastrous boarding of the freighter Eclipse. Wufei had been injured by gunfire, though Howard had assured them it wasn't serious. Still, he and Quatre were worried about their friend's injury as well as the uncooperative attitude of the freighter crew they'd encountered. Would other ships follow the example of the Eclipse's crew and respond in a similar manner? Boarding space freighters in the future might possibly become a more hazardous venture than ever.

He re-entered the study, glad that the few household staff they employed had the day off so that the he and Quatre could spend the remainder of the day together. He spared only a quick glance at Quatre's favorite room as he walked towards the desk. Two of the four walls were lined with mahogany bookcases and filled with wonderful leather-bound books that gave the room a masculine scent. The remaining walls were adorned with beautiful art work he and Quatre had selected together. Natural light seeped into the room by way of the long and narrow windows set high on the northern wall, several inches below the line of the ceiling. Regardless of the comfortable surroundings, his lover's expression was troubled as he sat in his chair behind the spacious desk and his fingers were steepled and resting against his lips. "That went smoothly," Trowa said, hoping to ease the worry line that had formed between the blond eyebrows.

"Did it?" Worried blue eyes rose to meet his gaze.

"I think so."

The blond sighed as he slumped against the back of his chair, looking both tired and drawn. "I just don't know. I'm trying to imagine what Heero will make of what we said."

"I'm hoping he'll believe we were being truthful."

Raising his hands, Quatre proceeded to massage his temples, a clear sign of the beginnings of yet another headache, a malady that had become a regular occurrence over the past two years. Having become concerned that the frequent headaches might be a symptom of something more serious, he had insisted Quatre pay a visit to his doctor. The results of the physical showed his lover, over all, was in excellent health. The trusted physician suggested the headaches were most likely caused by too much stress and not enough down time. He advised Quatre to take a long vacation and cut back his hours at work. They'd taken one three-day weekend instead, locked up in their home with the curtains drawn and turned the phones off, promising themselves a proper vacation after the shipping lanes to L2 reopened.

"I wish we could tell Heero the truth," the blond said, sliding a bit further down in his chair and closing his eyes. "He might possibly respond as Wufei did and offer to join us."

"For five years he's doggedly tracked down criminals and those who move against the UEC government. It would no doubt be extremely difficult if not impossible for him to switch sides and go against his committed nature." Trowa said as he moved to take a stand behind his lover and placed his hands upon his shoulders. In response, the blond straightened, leaned forward just slightly and tilted his head to the right as he began massaging the stiffness he found there.

"Maybe so, but we never expected Wufei would abandon his job with the Preventers to join us either."

"His having experienced the suffering on L2 firsthand combined with his deep sense of justice and brought him to our side," Trowa rationalized.

"And you don't think Heero has that same sense of justice?"

Trowa didn't know. He only knew that Heero had at times shown himself to be a man driven by ideals and principles. Telling him about their operation would be a dangerous gamble, risking not only their freedom, but the continued aid they provided to all those trapped on L2 as well. Quatre tilted his head to the other side as Trowa's hands moved to massage that side of his neck.

"Umm. That feels so good. You have the most wonderful hands, Trowa," the blond purred and then moaned as pressure was applied to a certain spot. "Oh yes, right there."

Thinking while continuing to ease the tension in his lover's neck and shoulders, Trowa answered. "I've never been able to figure out Heero's thought process, but it's clear that being an agent of the Preventers has become his life. To be honest, I thought the same of Wufei and would never have voluntarily revealed to him anything about our operation. But after confronting us on the resource satellite he really gave us no choice but to tell him the truth. Heero has yet to discover any hard evidence that points our way, and I can't predict how his feelings for Duo might figure into all of this. Would he turn his back on what we're doing if he learned Duo was involved? Would he join us? I honestly don't know the answers to those questions."

Quatre's hands rose to clasp those resting momentarily on his shoulders. "Speaking of Duo," he began in a somber tone. "I'm concerned about him, Trowa. He's losing his heart to Heero all over again, if he hasn't lost it already. And even though Heero seems sincere about his feelings for him, I can't tell which he would choose if he found out about our operation, Duo or his duty. I think Duo will be devastated if Heero turns away from him."

When Quatre's hands slowly released his own, falling into limply into his lap, Trowa returned to massaging his lover's shoulders, trying to help him relax. Feeling very little change in the taut muscles beneath his fingers, Trowa could only guess that something else was bothering the man. "What else are you worried about?"

"Other than sidestepping Heero, Wufei's injury and the chance that there will be more violence the next time one of us boards a freighter?"

"Yes."

A huff of annoyance was his answer before Quatre confessed. "It's just that I feel responsible for Duo's dilemma with Heero. After all, I was the one to suggest he seduce Heero in order to draw his attention away from his duty and us. But I did so, not only for the sake of the operation, but because I wanted to help both Heero and Duo resolve their feelings for each other. Which, by the way, are very intense. He was reluctant, Trowa, and with good reason, but I urged him to do it anyway. If he's hurt by Heero, then I'm the one to blame."

Without pausing his handwork, Trowa said thoughtfully, "Duo is more than capable of making his own decisions. He's got a sharp mind and a strong will, and I doubt he can be persuaded into a course of action he doesn't feel comfortable with." Trowa removed his hands from Quatre's shoulders and moved to sit on the right side of the desk, looking down on the pale and weary face of his lover. Bending forward, he took hold of the other man's hands and tugged on them until the seated man had no choice but to leave his chair and stand between his legs. Cupping the oval face and tilting it up until Quatre's troubled eyes met his own, he said in his most resolute voice, "You are not responsible for everyone's problems, nor can you solve them. I know it hurts you to see anyone in pain or suffering, especially your friends, but can't you find some comfort in knowing we've done our best to try and save an entire colony? Isn't there some peace to be had for getting Heero and Duo to talk to each other again and patch up past mistakes?"

Looking into his eyes, Quatre replied most sincerely, "You're the one who gives me peace, Trowa." He then leaned forward to place a soft, sweet kiss on the lips he knew so well. He was wearing a tired smile when he pulled back a moment later. Trowa noticed the flaxen hair had gotten quite a bit longer, curling slightly above Quatre's ears and against the collar of his shirt. And then his lover's smile began to fade as another thought came to him. "Things should never have gotten as bad as they have on L2. Even after all we've done, there are still innocent people who have suffered and died because we couldn't do more."

"Let's not go over this again," Trowa said in a tone that indicated he was sick and tired of the subject. "If you want to worry about something, how about the fact that I'm hungry and in need of some attention."

The blue eyes widened before taking on an expression of remorse. "Have I been neglecting you, Trowa?"

"Only just a bit," the taller man replied, his expression softening. "But no more than you have neglect yourself."

Quatre frowned. "I'm sorry, but there's so much to do." His right hand rose again to rub his temple again, trying to sooth the dull pain growing there.

Trowa stilled his lover's hand then removed it completely to replace it with his lips. Quatre leaned into the soft kiss and closed his eyes with a sigh. Moving slowly from his temple to his cheek, he turned slightly to kiss the tip of the other man's nose, eliciting a small chuckle from the blond. And then Trowa claimed his lover's tempting mouth with a kiss that was both teasing and chaste but it quickly blossomed into a familiar and powerful need. Just as Quatre moved to press his pelvis up against his lover's crotch, Trowa pulled back. "Food first," he insisted with a grin playing at the corners of his mouth.

The blond shook his head, his hair swaying with the movement. "You planned that, didn't you?" he grumbled, a bit pouty but definitely not unhappy. Because his body was thrumming with desire and his arousal ached for some attention, it was suddenly much easier to ignore his empty belly as well had his headache, which for some strange reason didn't feel quite as bad as it had five minutes ago.

Trowa stood from the desk and clasped his lover's hand to lead him towards the kitchen and the well-stocked refrigerator. "Time to fortify ourselves," he said with a wink and a slight suggestive grin.

An hour later the two were lovers were upstairs in the master bedroom, in the middle of the king-sized bed and wrapped up in each other arms while their bodies slowly cooled from their heated lovemaking, finished only moments ago. Quatre's head lay on his Trowa's shoulder and he breathed in the musky smell of sex that lingered in the air; his previous headache now only a vague recollection. His left hand moved slowly over the slightly damp and smooth surface of his lover's chest. He'd learned years ago that his only real refuge from his empathic abilities and from the worries and stress of his position in the family's business was in the arms of Trowa Barton. The taller, handsome man was his anchor, the owner of his heart and soul. He couldn't even begin to imagine what might have happened to him if Trowa had turned him away after he'd confessed his love for him moments after they'd blown up their gundams. He, Trowa and Duo had each stated they had places to go once the war was over, but he'd come to understand that he could never be content if he wasn't with Trowa. Turning his head, he kissed the cooling skin and heard a hum of approval from his lover.

"Shower?" Trowa asked.

"Too comfortable," Quatre replied as he snuggled closer to his man, though truthfully, he felt too darn tired to get out of bed. After failing to suppress a long yawn, his heavy eyelids closed and almost immediately he fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

A sudden noise startled the blond to instant wakefulness. His mind quickly supplied him with an explanation; the vid phone was ringing. Feeling like his eyes had been closed for a few moments, he found it nearly impossible to dredge up the strength or will to sit up.

"I'll get it," Trowa said, and the warmth he had been pressed against disappeared.

Managing to pry his eyelids open, he watched Trowa, illuminated by the colony lights spilling through a crack in the window curtains. The tall man walked in all his naked glory to the vid phone on the desk, situated against the wall opposite the foot of the bed. Even after years of living together, he still couldn't help but appreciate the other man's long and slender legs, the firm, perfect bottom as well as the straight back that gradually widened to the broad shoulders. _He is so incredibly beautiful_, he thought, and a warm, fuzzy feeling spread through him from knowing this wonderful human being was his, to have and to hold and cherish. He could only hope to one day to find a way to show his gratitude to Trowa for the peace and love he had given him.

Trowa left the vid screen off, and used the headset to take the late night call. He spoke only a few words, and soft enough that Quatre couldn't quite make out what the conversation was about. Extending his senses, he felt worry emanating from Trowa, but then his natural calmness returned, followed by a spike of... excitement? At least he thought it was excitement, or it might have been happiness coming from his lover, making him even more curious about the phone call.

A push of a button and the removal of the headset told him that the call was over. Trowa immediately returned to the bed and, once he was under the covers again, he pulled Quatre into his arms. Holding him snugly, he answered the unasked question. "That was Howard with an update. Wufei is doing well, his wound appears to be healing with no signs of infection."

Following a relieved sigh, the blond said, "That's wonderful."

"They're back on the satellite, having returned safe and sound after dropping the supplies off on L2."

"That's certainly a relief." And it was. But Quatre sensed Trowa had something else to tell him. "Is there something else?" he questioned, lifting himself off of Trowa's chest so he could look him in the eye. He mentally braced himself for what he believed would be bad news, because lately there just seemed to be more bad news than good.

With a face that gave away nothing, Trowa answered. "Howard was slipped a note while supervising the unloading. Evidently the package that was dropped off on L2 several weeks ago is ready for pick up and re-delivery." In the dim light of the room Quatre witnessed an unusually brilliant smile bloom on his lover's face.

Blue eyes widened with both surprise and disbelief. "Really?"

"Really."

Falling upon his lover, Quatre clung tightly to him. "At last," he whispered in a tearful voice. "I can hardly believe it's almost over."

Trowa rubbed his lover's back, knowing full well that the stress and strain of the last few years had taken a toll on him, on the both of them. "In a few days we can start to live our lives again."

"No more deceptions, no more lies or the constant worry about being caught," Quatre said, his voice filled with renewed hope. After a few moments of dreaming about the deliverance of the people of L2, of Duo being free to pursue his relationship with Heero, of the long, put-off vacation, he asked, "When do you leave?"

"Tomorrow. She'll be ready for pick up by mid afternoon."

Quatre raised his head back up. "What about Wufei? How will we explain Relena's presence to him? And his disappearance and wound, how will he explain them when he shows up on Earth?"

"That's something you and I need to work out tonight. Howard said Wufei is willing to show up at Preventer headquarters stating he was hijacked by an unknown group; but I'm not sure they'll believe his kidnappers just let him go."

"I think I have an idea," Quatre said, the smile returning to his face. "We'll need to give Duo a call."

Trowa slipped his hand into the blond curls at the back of Quatre's head and pull the handsome, grinning face to his own. "I knew you would come up with a solution," he said just before he closed the distance and kissed his lover until both of them were breathless. They broke apart with matching smiles that lead to happy, relieved laughter, sounding like a couple of kids on Christmas morning.

TBC  
Author's note: Sorry for the delay in posting this chapter. I know most of you were waiting for the Heero-Duo confrontation, but I've got to catch up with everyone else in the story. Thanks to all those who have reviewed, and sorry if I don't always reply back to you. I honestly don't have very much time to spend on the computer anymore, but I am doing my best. Honest!


	41. Chapter 42

**Lies - Between Friends and Lovers  
Chapter 42**

Duo checked his watch as he stepped off the elevator on his floor. He was a bit later than when he told Taylor to expect him, and his feet were dragging. He was bone tired, but for all he'd accomplished during the past couple of days it was a small price to pay. He'd successfully delivered yet another stash of goods to L2, this time using what the Maganacs had gathered and not from a freighter. And as he'd felt with every other successful delivery, the pleasant sensation of accomplishment followed him home. Tainting that good feeling, however, was the news he'd had from Howard when the call came for him to take his supply laden shuttle to L2. Wufei had been injured on his first run, taking a bullet meant for Howard. The old man had reassured him his friend was fine, but the injure meant Wufei would be observing the next couple of runs instead of being an active participant. Howard added that the injured man claimed he was fully capable of flying the shuttle, regardless of his injury, but Howard was hesitant to use him until he could move without pain.

He rolled his shoulders, trying to work the kink out of his neck he'd acquired on the trip back. After keying the correct numbers into the security pad to the left of his front door, a subtle click signaled the lock's release. He turned the doorknob and nearly fell through the door as he stumbled over the threshold on weary feet. He had barely straightened when he noticed the lights in the living room were on. Usually, that wouldn't be cause for alarm because Taylor often waited in his apartment for his return.

But that wasn't the case this time.

Time skid to a mind-numbing halt the instant he caught sight of who was sitting in the next room. He forgot how to breathe. With his hand tightly gripping the knob of the open front door, he struggled with the ramifications that would come from the sight before him. Heero was sitting in his living room along with Taylor, his lover glaring for all he was worth. And the moment those deep blue eyes met his own, Duo could see that Heero was beyond angry; he was livid. God help him, he was in trouble now.

"Duo!" Taylor sprung up from the sofa, his expression reflecting desperation. But before he could take a step forward Heero's hand shot out and grabbed hold of his arm, keeping the man in place. Receiving a stern and formidable look of warning from Heero, Taylor froze in place. "Sit down." Heero growled in a low, menacing voice. With a tortured sigh his double's shoulders slumped before he flung himself back onto the sofa, his pleading eyes returning to Duo once more, silently asking for help in getting out of this situation. Although Taylor appeared unharmed, at least physically, Duo could see fear in his eyes. He didn't think any less of the man for feeling that way because he didn't feel a whole lot different.

"Surprise?" he said lamely, unable to manage the teasing smile he was hoping for. Heero's glare intensified. Placing his helmet on the table next to the door and dropping his backpack on the floor, he walked forward with a feeling of resignation and frantically trying to come up with something to say that wouldn't give himself or his friends away. Too many people on L2 depended on them for their survival. Heero, he reasoned, couldn't know everything. Taylor could be counted on to keep his mouth shut. After all, his freedom would also be in jeopardy if it was discovered he knew anything about the marauders. Duo's heart ached, and suddenly it became very difficult to maintain his composure. On top of everything that hinged on the coming confrontation, his heart ached with the knowledge that this was probably the end of his relationship with Heero.

"See, I told you he'd show up," Taylor said in a _you should have believed me, you asshole _tone of voice. Duo gathered by the level of Heero's narrow-eyed glare toward the man that he wasn't too fond of his double, and probably never would be unless he could come up with a good and believable excuse their subterfuge. But before he could begin to formulate his words, Taylor turned to him once more and released some of his own pent up frustration, which had probably been building up for however long he'd been held prisoner by Heero. "What the fuck, Duo? You told me everything about this schmuck except that he's a _psycho_ and scary as hell."

Duo shrugged. "To know him is to love him," he answered with a nervous grin. With a snort denoting his disbelief, Taylor asked, "Can I go now? I've had this pit bull guarding my ass since last night and I'm beat."

"Yeah, you can go, Tay. I guess Heero and I need to talk."

"I think he should stay," Heero said, his anger simmering just beneath the surface.

Duo studied Heero for a long moment, trying to judge just how angry the other man was. He was almost certain that he could deal with Heero, but it would be easier to do without Taylor being present during the conversation. Glancing back at his look alike, he waved him towards the door. "Goodnight, Taylor."

This time Heero didn't try to stop the man as he rose from the sofa and walked stiffly towards the front door without glancing back. Before exiting, Taylor paused by the cabinet next to the entry and bent to open the small door. From it he removed a non-descriptive cap. He curled his long braid around his head and pulled the cap over the top of it, put on the tinted glasses resting on the table top, then squared his shoulders and promptly left the apartment.

With an defeated sigh, Duo moved forward with obvious reluctance a sat in the place Taylor had just vacated, next to Heero, who seemed so unlike the man who'd confessed his love just one week ago. He did his best to avoid looking at the other man during the next few awkward moments. What he could possibly say to avoid incriminating himself or his friends, if indeed Heero had any idea about what they were doing? A lump of dread brewed in the pit of his belly, and he feared that what he and Heero had rediscovered during the previous weekend was about come crashing down. Chancing a glance at the other man, he asked, "What did Taylor tell you?"

"Not enough," Heero answered in a tight voice. "His physical appearance, he said, was your brainchild. His transformation, from whatever he looked like to being your double, was for your convenience, so that he could take your place whenever you didn't feel like attending certain events."

"That's right."

"You must have hired the very best to do the cosmetic alterations because, physically, he's almost a perfect replica of you," Heero stated, looking grim and disturbed by the whole situation. "But not good enough that I couldn't see the differences." Receiving no response from Duo, he continued. "His transformation must have cost a fortune. It seems a bit of overkill just because you don't feel like going to a movie premiere." And then Duo could feel Heero's eyes on him as he asked, "Where have you been during the past 24 hours?"

"Are you asking as a Preventer, Heero, or the man I spent last weekend with?"

"I am one and the same, Duo. I can't completely separate the two."

After a pause, he answered the question, somewhat truthfully. "I was riding my bike."

From the corner of eye, Duo watched as Heero's hands, resting on his thighs, tightened into fists, his gaze focused now on the curtained window across from them. It was clear the man was fighting to control his anger when he said through gritted teeth, "You told me you were going to be at the premiere. You lied to me, Duo. I thought you still held to the standard of not lying. Have you been lying to me all along?"

Also struggling to remain calm and rational, he answered, "When I talked to you, I thought I was going to the premiere, but I changed my mind. I really didn't feel like being Shannon's date when I only wanted to be with you."

"There was another marauder attack this week. Were you involved?" Heero's head turned and his eye locked onto his own. He was looking at him as if he was trying to divine his inner most secrets.

"Are we back to this again?" Duo said, exasperated. Even though Heero had a right to question him, especially after he'd been caught in a lie, he didn't feel like using what precious energy he had left arguing with the man. "You obviously don't believe me, so it's pointless for me to try and defend myself since you've already come up with some cockamamie idea of your own as to where I've been."

Laying his head back against the top of the sofa, Duo closed his eyes and sighed wearily. He'd wished, more than anything, that things had gone differently between them. Tears of regret pricked the corners of his eyes, but he willed them away. He would not break down in front of Heero. Damn, he was tired. Right now all he wanted to do was to go to bed and pretend that his heart wasn't about to be torn apart again.

"Where have you been?" Heero demanded sternly.

"I think I've said all that I'm going to tonight, Heero. I'm tired, and anything I say will probably be twisted around in your suspicious mind to make me the villain here."

Duo gasped out loud when without warning he was roughly grabbed by the front of his jacket jerked forward until he was separated by mere inches from Heero's scowling face. "Don't!" he cried out, instinctively bringing his arms up to block the expected blow from hitting his face.

He was immediately released from Heero's grasp and allowed to fall back. "I'm sorry," Heero gasped, and Duo peeked out from beneath his raised arms to see an expression of horror on the other man's face. "I swear I wasn't going to hit you, Duo. I... I didn't mean to frighten you. I just want you to talk to me, explain what's going on."

Deeply shaken from having thought, for that one, brief moment, that Heero was about to put him back into the hospital, Duo desperately fought to calm himself. His heart was racing and, damn, why couldn't he catch his breath?

"You're white as a sheet, Duo. Take a deep breath and lower your arms. I swear, I wasn't going to hurt you."

He searched those blue eyes he loved so well, and saw that Heero was equally upset and... sincere. Cautiously lowering his arms he forced himself to relax and take a deep breath, as Heero had urged. "I... I'm sorry, too, Heero." Catching his breath was still a problem. "I really didn't... mean to react like... that." He paused to take another deep breath, and when he felt he could finish a whole sentence without gasping for air, he continued. "Guess your being so angry and grabbing me brought back bad memories."

"Duo." Heero's tone was imploring, his expression anguished. For several long moments he seemed incapable of voicing what he wanted to say. In the past, when words had failed Heero took action, and that seemed to be the plan he was going to fall back on now. Moving slowly, Heero brought his hand up and softly stroked his chilled left cheek with the back of his fingers. Then leaning forward, he gently brushed his lips against Duo's closed mouth, cautiously exploring them until the braided man could no longer resist. With a surrendering sigh, Duo leaned into the kiss. Heero's lips, both gentle and soothing, worked their magic and helped him to relax his guard further and calm his racing heart and jittering nerves.

Sensing the change in him, Heero pulled back, and while cradling Duo's face in his head, he looked into his eyes and said, "I've given you my word that I'll never, no matter what, hit you again. But from your reaction it looks like I still have a long way to go to prove myself to you. I swear, on my honor, that I will never cause you harm, in any way. Do you believe me, Duo?"

Heero's earnest sincerity could be seen in his eyes. Duo did believe him, and was touched by his promise. He nodded his answer, and now that things that calmed down considerably, exhaustion swept over him once more. He closed his eyes and let his head rest heavily in the palms of Heero's hands. "I know you want to talk this out, Heero, but I'm just so damn tired."

"All right, I'll let you rest. But before you go to bed, will you tell me where you've been?"

"Trust is a two way street," he replied softly. "Do you really think I've been doing something wrong, that I'm one of those marauders?"

"Given your ties to L2, your knowledge of stealth systems, Taylor's appearance and your disappearance aligning with the last attack, you can hardly blame me for being suspicious."

Pulling away, Duo rubbed his left eye with two fingers as he answered in a matter-of-fact voice. "Like Taylor said, he's my stand-in, Heero, for when I just can't handle the crowds, the cameras and the questions." Leaning back against the sofa again, he turned his head and let his eyes, barely open at this point, rest on the other man while he continued. "I might look like I enjoy all the attention, but to tell you the truth modeling is just an easy way for me to make a lot of money. Unfortunately, the trade off is having to deal with tabloids, entertainment shows and paparazzi. They dig through my garbage and jump out in front from nowhere just to get some cockeyed story about me.

"The public might know something about my past, but certainly not all of it or the fact that I'm gay. I do all the modeling jobs I've signed contracts for, and attend some of the social events I'm invited to, but it's Taylor who has removed any suspicion about my sexual orientation by going to various functions with famous women I've come in contact with. My manager doesn't have a problem with my being gay, but those who pay me a lot of money to model their clothing want me to portray the look of a ladies' man, not a homosexual. Almost every contract I've signed has a clause which stipulates I'm to avoid any press that could impact negatively on my image and their clothing line. Evidently, coming out and saying that I'm attracted to men is detrimental to selling men's clothes."

"Tell me honestly, Duo, were you seeing someone else while Taylor took your place?" The deep frown on Heero's made it clear he was disturbed by the idea.

"I'll admit to hooking up on a rare occasion, but..." and then he paused wonder if Heero meant his comment to cover the past couple of year, or the last weekend. "What the...?" Though he was grateful for the change in subject, he couldn't believe Heero had left off questioning him about the marauders to ask him about his sex life. "Let me get this right. Are you actually asking me if I slept with someone other than you this past week?" How could Heero think such a thing? Especially after last weekend? The serious expression on Heeor's face gave him his answer. "You have got to be kidding me."

And then a look of relief flashed in Heero's eyes and he pressed for more information. "Please, Duo, I won't ask again, but I need you to tell me where you were. I swear that I'll believe whatever you say." So he didn't escape the question after all.

Taken aback by the unusual sound of Heero pleading and his promise to believe whatever he told him, Duo was coming to realize how much the man had changed from the boy he'd known. And the changes he was seeing in the man were positive and warmed his heart. This might be the chance he'd been hoping for, to protect their operation and keep from telling Heero the full truth, thereby jeopardizing their relationship. He hated having to deceive Heero again, but he really had no other choice; he wasn't alone in this operation, after all. Any confession, whether to clear his conscience or give Heero what he wanted, would jeopardize his friends, the Maganacs, Howard, Stu and Buck, not to mention the people of L2. He hoped against hope for the impossible, that his lover would never find out the truth, especially after the promises he made this evening.

Focusing on the third button on Heero's shirt, unable to meet his eyes, he tried to sound believable when he began his explanation in a somber voice. "When I can't force a smile any longer and pretend that I'm the happiest bastard in the universe, I leave town for a couple of days and pay Taylor to take my place. He does a good job, usually. I've asked him to be careful not to go too far with the women he escorts in my absence, or commit himself, and me, to any relationships. Some of the tabloid headlines you've seen were spawned by Taylor's early blunders."

Heero looked as if pieces of a puzzle were finally coming together. "I wondered if you were bisexual from some of the articles I've read."

"Nah, that was just Taylor having a hard time keeping his fly zipped up around so many beautiful and willing women. He's also from L2, and like me he grew up way too fast on the streets. He gets a bit over his head when a beautiful woman, especially a popular actresses with too much time and money on their hands, show interest in him. Despite my constant warnings, he sometimes gets more involved than he should."

"Where do you go when you leave here? To a hotel?"

"No. Quat and Tro have a cabin, up north. Once I'm there I stay a night or two then come back, ready to endure another week of jobs and appointments."

"This cabin can be verified?"

Duo frowned. "Sure, but I thought you said you'd believe me."

Heero studied his face yet again, as if trying to discern whether or not he was being told the truth. "I do trust you," he said after a long moment.

Smiling and relieved, Duo leaned forward to embrace his lover tightly. He was elated by this turn of events. Heero had proved that he wouldn't physically hurt him again and had sworn that he never would. And though Heero hadn't actually said he believed him, he still had his trust. And he really hadn't lied about everything, because his initial reason for securing a look alike was for the reasons he'd stated. Pulling back, he firmly planted his lips on Heero's mouth and give him a smoldering, toe curling kiss, so relieved and grateful that Heero was giving them another chance. He vowed to himself to make everything up to Heero once the situation with L2 was resolved and never lie to his lover again.

He was quite pleased when his handsome, sexy boyfriend responded immediately to his kiss, pulling him even closer and sliding his fingers beneath his braid to cradle his head and turn it slightly to deepen the kiss.

They reluctantly separated, gasping for air. But Heero didn't stay idle long. He immediately moved his hot and moist lips to his exposed neck. "Missed you," Heero murmured, his lips tickling the sensitive skin.

Duo moaned and gave himself over to the wonderful sensations those wonderful lips aroused. Funny, he didn't feel quite as tired as he'd been a short while ago. There was not thought of resisting when Heero lowered him onto the sofa's cushions and readjusted their bodies until his lover was lying on top of him and between his legs. And then those talented lips continued to keep his mind and body warming, making him feel more hopeful by the moment about their future. He was floating in a realm of pleasure and possibilities up until the moment the button of his black jeans popped open and he was jerked back into reality. He suddenly recalled he hadn't had a shower in two days. Putting his hands on Heero's shoulders, he tried to push him away, but the body above him moved only slightly and the wandering lips never stopped moving as they continued southward down his chest.

"Wait, Heero." Though he was being serious, his words came out like a passion-filled moan. Heero paused only to flick his tongue over a nipple. "Listen, I don't want to stop, but I haven't had a shower in two days."

Heero looked up at him with a growing smile. "Sounds perfect." Then grabbing Duo by the arm, his lover pulled him off the sofa and led him out of the living room and towards the back of the apartment.

Kissing and fondling, the two stumbled happily into the master bedroom together. Duo shed his jacket and let it drop to the floor, then grabbed the bottom of his shirt and pulled it over his head. Heero chuckled. "Some things never change," he said with a glance at the discarded jacket. He was no doubt thinking about the past, when he'd been less than concerned about where his clothes fell at the end of the day when he and Heero had roomed together during the war.

Looking around the room, Heero said, "I thought your bedroom would be decorated in a modern style, like the rest of the apartment."

Duo glanced at his room, finding comfort in the tall bed covered with a mint green down comforter. The colorful, handwoven rug on the floor had been made in India, on it rested his favorite over stuffed chair and the tall reading lamp. It was his favorite place to read, other than in bed. Against the left wall sat a maple case he used as bookshelves. It was packed full with his favorite books. His dresser, also maple, sat against the opposite wall. And across from his bed was a large flat-screen T.V. "I wanted this room to be all about comfort," he replied. "Didn't you sleep in here last night?"

"No. I stayed in the guest room... with Taylor."

Duo couldn't help but snicker. Though his double was excepting of his sexual orientation, he was sometimes weirded out by it as well. "I'll bet he was a barrel of laughs."

Heero turned to him and began to slide his already unbuckled belt out of the loops. "I don't want to talk about Taylor right now. Let's get into the shower and then I'm going to take you to bed."

Duo melted into Heero's arms. "Sounds good," he mumbled as his lips attached themselves to any bit of exposed skin they came into contact with.

It took a bit longer than expected, but the two men eventually made in into the brightly lit bathroom. While Heero pulled off the rest of their clothing, Duo reached over and turned on the shower. Once their clothes had been discarded on the floor and the water temperature just how he liked it, they were ready to get into the shower. And despite the distraction, Duo remembered something important. "Wait." Blushing with embarrassment, he reached into the shower and pulled something out from behind the curtain. "Sorry. I know this isn't very attractive but I don't want to get my hair wet tonight." Having said that, he wound his braid around his head and eased the plastic cap over it. He gave Heero an apologetic smile even though the other man seemed to be fighting a smile.

Without further ado, they stepped into the shower and came together for a long, wet kiss under the warm spray of water. They lathered their hands with soap and began washing each other, slick hands gliding smoothly over firm, wet flesh. It was both relaxing and erotically titillating. Duo almost came, twice, but each time he stood at the brink of orgasm Heero changed tactics, holding him off. He got the idea his lover wanted to wait until they were in bed. So be it, he thought. He just hoped he could stay awake long enough to enjoy it.

It felt wonderful to have Heero's hands running over his body once again, and it was soothing enough to remind him how tired he was. In his current blissful state, the urge to tell Heero he loved him was overwhelming, but for some reason the words just wouldn't come out. Maybe it was because he was beyond tired. Or perhaps it was Heero, who was proving once again to be a distraction. But beyond those reasons, saying he lover Heero out loud would cement his heart, irrevocably, on Heero. If something went wrong, like his being arrested as a marauder, he didn't know if he would survive if Heero washed his hands of him.

He opened his eyes when the hot stream of water was suddenly cut off and Heero nudged him out of the shower. They made quick work of drying off and Heero playfully hustled him into the bedroom and playfully tossed him onto the bed. He only had only a scant moment to prepare himself before Heero jumped onto the mattress, grinning for all he was worth. His lover pressed against him and immediately put his hands and lips to work on his flesh once again.

"Do you have what we need?" Heero asked, barely pausing.

"Top drawer, beneath the boxers," Duo answered, pointing to the small, left hand drawer at the top of his dresser.

Heero kissed his shoulder before rolling over and slipped out of the tall bed to retrieve the tube of lube and a condom. He returned quickly, but paused a moment at its edge of the mattress to gaze at his lover, lying completely naked and stretched out on the bed, more than ready and waiting for what was about to happen. Reaching down, the former Wing Zero pilot stroked himself, apparently hoping to ease some of the ache that Duo was likewise experiencing.

From the signals Heero was giving, Duo was pretty sure he was going to be the receiver tonight. He didn't really care, but he'd be damned if he was going to be passive, even if he was tired. He smiled at Heero as the man climb on the bed again, letting him know without words that he looked forward to making love with him.

It took only until Heero took him in his arms before things heated up again and his lover began to prepare him for their joining. When they were both ready for the next step, Duo pushed Heero back and settled himself on top of him, leaving Heero blinking at the suddenness of having their positions reversed.

Leaning forward, Duo gave his lover's lips a quick kiss, then made his way towards a tempting earlobe, teasingly tugging on it with his teeth. "Just relax and let me do the work tonight, all right?"

"You looked tired earlier. I just assumed..." Heero was interrupted when a finger settled over his lips.

"I'm feeling somewhat rejuvenated," he said with a sly grin. His eyelids were drooping, but her hoped Heero would think he was trying to be sexy instead of sleepy.

Heero sought his lips once more before capitulating and lying back, resting his head on the pillow. Wearing a smile of contentment, he gave Duo a go-ahead nod.

Once seated, Duo forced himself to proceed slowly, wanting to watch and catalogue all the expressions that crossed his lover's face. Heero's smouldering gaze never left his face as they moved together, and once again Duo felt like the luckiest man alive. He did everything in his power to please the other man and making their coupling last as long as possible. Yet all too soon there was no denying their need for each other, and the speed of their lovemaking increased until they both fell into rolling waves of pleasure. Still breathless, words of gratitude and reassurance were whispered, binding them closer than ever as lovers.

After cleaning up, the light was turned out and the covers pulled up to ward off the chill. Duo lay on his left side, spooned up to Heero's back. He was exhausted, his reserve of energy completely spent. With his head resting on Heero's shoulder, his free arm lying limp over his lover's waist and upper leg draped over his thigh, he listened to the patter of Heero's breathing as it slowed. His eyes were now too heavy to remain open, and he fleetingly wondered why he hadn't fallen asleep yet. Pondering the reasons for still being awake he concluded that Heero hadn't been fully satisfied with how he'd answered his questions. Had his lover bought his excuses, lock, stock and barrel? Well, they weren't really excuses, he comforted himself thinking that was so. There was a grain of truth in everything he'd said.

The familiar thought came to him again that starting a relationship with Heero with all he had going was nothing short of insane. Herro was intelligent, astute and quick to act, and it was only a matter of time before the man figured out that things weren't adding up. He could only hope that with the marauders and the mystery of Relena's disappearance and now Wufei's, would keep Heero too preoccupied to put his renown analytical powers to work and realize that there was not one stealth ship, but two, and that he, Quatre and Trowa had been involved since the beginning. The backlash from such a discovery would be monumental. He'd lose Heero for sure, and he didn't know if he could handle that loss again.

"How are we going to do this?"

The suddenness of Heero's question startled him. He chuckled, a bit embarrassed by having reacted with a jerk. "Sorry. I thought you were asleep."

"Just thinking."

"What are you thinking about?"

There was a long stretched-out moment before Heero answered. "You and I. I've been spending a lot of time in space and in Europe. You're here in New York. How are we going to make this relationship work?"

Duo sigh was followed immediately by a large yawn. "I'm not sure, Heero," he answered with a yawn. "I suppose we take it a day at a time. We've both have jobs and responsibilities that keep us where we are at the moment. We can only make do with what we've got and see where the future takes us."

Heero turned in his arms to look Duo in the eyes. Appearing thoughtful, he said, "I suppose you'll want to keep our relationship a secret, seeing that Taylor has everyone thinking you're straight."

Duo pondered the idea of coming out and telling the world that Heero was his lover. It was a wonderful thought, but the timing was all wrong. With reluctance he answered, "You're right. Tay's got everyone thinking I'm straight, which gets me a lot of jobs posing as a lady's man. I'm not ashamed of you or of my feelings for you, Heero, but if it comes out right now that I'm gay, I might have to look for another profession."

"And that would be a bad thing?"

Duo lifted up his head up off of Heero's shoulder to look him in the eyes. "You think my job is stupid, don't you?"

"I wouldn't say that."

"But you think it, don't you?"

A long space of silence was his lover's answer. With a sigh Duo continued, "It's not like I'm going to be doing this forever. A model's career is almost always short lived. I'm in it for the money, Heero, not the notoriety, the attention or to be famous. I could easily live without those things."

"What do you want to do after modeling?"

"Maybe go back to school. I think I'd like to study photography."

There was a pause before Heero spoke again. "I like the photograph you have above your fireplace."

Duo chuckled. "I'll bet you do." The photograph entitled _Self Portrait_, depicting his naked backside covered only with his long braid, had garnered a lot of attention and praise from his guests.

"I think you could be very successful as a photographer."

The long-haired man blinked in surprise. "What? You're not going to tell me I'd be a great asset to the Preventers? That I'm not wasting my life away on something as trivial taking pictures?"

Heero shook his head. "No. I think I learned my lesson five years ago. I tried to persuade you then to join the Preventers, even after you said you didn't want to. And look where that lead us. No, I'm not going to tell you how to live your life, but you can't blame me for hoping you'll make some room in it for me."

"Heero." Duo tenderly whispered the other man's name just before he leaned forward to kiss him. What Heero just said did more towards cementing their current relationship than anything else he could have said or done. Moving to lay on top of the other man's body, the braided man settled between Heero's legs, intending to prove to his lover just how much he needed him in his life. He set aside his worries about Heero's reaction if ever found out about his covert operations, determined to hide the truth as long as possible, forever if need be, in order to keep the man beneath him in his arms. He intended to make love with Heero again, but the moment he put his face into Heero's neck, he fell asleep, proving the old adage, the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.

TBC


	42. Chapter 43

**Lies Between Friends and Lovers**  
Chapter 43

Heero woke a couple of hours after having fallen asleep, his mind awhirl with not only thoughts of all that had happened that evening, but also with the challenges that lay before him. He would not be going back to sleep any time soon. Untangling himself from Duo's slackened arms, being careful not to disturb the sleeping man, he cautiously removed himself from the bed. After fumbling around in the dark for his clothes, he slipped on his slacks and tee-shirt before tip-toeing out of his lover's bedroom and returned to the dark living room.

He switched on a small table lamp and settled himself on the sofa. The room was still and silent, unlike his thoughts which were troubled by unsolved mysteries and worry for his friends. Added to his concern about Relena, Wufei's disappearance also weighed heavily on his mind. What could have happened to the man who was not only a master of several martial arts but also a former gundam pilot and an experienced, capable Preventer? Wufei was no fool and the idea that he'd gotten into something he couldn't get out of, or was unable to get word to anyone, was troubling indeed.

Added to those worries was the disturbing discovery of Taylor Mann, Duo's double. He wasn't sure he could believe his lover had gone to such lengths or expense simply to have someone fill in for him when he didn't feel like showing up to a movie premiere. But if that wasn't the case, then what was Duo up to? Could the subterfuge he had going with Taylor be hiding some criminal activity? Was Duo in some way involved with the marauders? Could he have had something to do with Relena's disappearance?

And then he wondered if the two cases might be linked, which set his mind immediately to spinning with possibilities. He focused on the question of the stealth system, which was what they believed the marauders were using. Such a system had to involve either Duo or Howard or someone from Howard's original crew. Heero shook his head, thinking Duo couldn't be involved. The man had been with him at the same time one of the raids had taken place. And several times his lover had stated he was estranged from Howard, since shortly after the war. But was he lying? While fighting together during the first war, Duo proudly claimed that he never lied, a fact that had him doubting this suspicious line of thinking.

With a frustrated sigh he leaned further into the back of the sofa. The apartment was on the cool side, causing goose pimples to make an appearance. If only there was a blanket nearby he could throw over his shoulders. Rubbing his chilled arms, he wondered again what was Duo up to. That damn question wouldn't stay out of his mind. What if his lover was involved with the marauders? Wufei believed the group they were investigating had been supplying food and necessities to L2's starving people. It seemed just the sort of thing Duo would be involved in.

His eyes strayed to the picture set over the fireplace. He studied the lines of the photographed back, appreciating the way light and shadow formed the shape of Duo's body and his thick, long braid. The black and white photograph was a perfect way for Duo to depict himself. He'd always thought the orphan from L2 to be a person of contrasts. He represented both light and shadow; an optimist despite his dark and disturbing past; a kind person despite having been a gundam pilot, a killer. It was the many sides of Duo that had drawn his attention to the American teenager in the first place. Back then, as well as now, he was inordinately handsome, and that bewitching braid of his made him unforgettable. Besides his physical appearance, Duo became a bright spot in his duty-driven life with his devil-may-care attitude and odd sense of humor. Even when he'd been less than receptive to Duo's overtures of friendship back then, the braided teen never seemed to take offence. And being stubbornly tenacious, the boy from L2 tried again and again to be his friend... until he finally managed to win him over. Light and dark, just like the portrait. That had been Duo in his teenage years.

And now that he was thinking of the past, he realized Duo had come to represent the light and dark in his life also. His happiest memories, as well as some of his worst, were centered around the American. The idea of Duo being one of the masterminds behind the marauders wasn't too much of a stretch to believe, given the man's intelligence and past experience. But then again, he was Duo's alibi for when an attack on a freighter occurred the weekend before. If his lover was involved with the marauders in any other way, like helping design or construct a stealth system, it would mean his lover would face prison time _if_ he were arrested and convicted of the crimes the space pirates had committed. Could he really pursue his suspicions, perhaps unearthing evidence that might point to Duo, and then turn his lover over to the authorities? And if convicted, could he live with himself if Duo was sent to prison for however long they sentenced him? It was a question he wrestled with for a good ten minutes before he decided to do something more constructive.

Having left his laptop on the dining room table, he moved silently through the quiet apartment to that room and sat at the large oval table. No sooner had he booted up the computer when a new message popped up, indicating he had mail. It was from Director Une. After asking about his delay and demanding he report his whereabouts, she informed him that Wufei was still missing and unaccounted for. She asked if he had received any word from him or information regarding his whereabouts.

She also informed him that Quatre and Trowa had been interviewed by a local Preventer agent; Quatre being one of the last to see the missing Preventer. The attached report read like a newsy postcard, with Quatre stating, in his ever polite manner, that he and Wufei had spent several hours catching up with each other after his arrival while Trowa was working on the computer system at the office. He stated that a phone call came for Wufei, from Preventers, he gathered, and their visit came to an abrupt end. Wufei gathered his things and took his leave, stating his intention of meeting up with a crew who had been stopped and boarded by the marauders. Agent Warfield, the woman who conducted the interview, observed that both men asked appropriate questions about the missing agent and showed concern for their friend's welfare.

Something about the interview bothered him. After reading it over once more, Heero sat back in his chair and tried to figure out what was bothering him. He had implicit trust in his friends, so it couldn't be that he didn't believe them. Puzzled, he re-read the report several times until it finally came to him what was wrong. Wufei was a good friend to both Quatre and Trowa, having been in touch and communicating since after the war. According to Warfield's observations the two men had sat calmly in the parlor and answered questions about Wufei... instead of rushing out to organize the Maganacs or rousing L4's police force to search for him. It was heir stand-back, let-others-do-the-work response that caught his attention. That inaction was very uncharacteristic for the two former gundam pilots, especially Quatre. He reminded himself that for the past five years he hadn't had any contact with the two, so it was possible that they had changed, become more calm and methodical before they acted.

"Hey. What ya doin'?" Duo's groggy voice came from the entrance of the dining room, startling Heero for a moment. Turning his head, Heero's breath caught in his throat at the sight of the handsome man leaning heavily against the entry, wearing only the bronze satin robe, loosely tied with the belt at his waist, his long tussled hair falling seductively over his shoulders.

"I woke up and couldn't fall back to sleep. I didn't want to wake you."

"Appreciate that," Duo yawned, his hand a bit tardy at rising to cover his open mouth. "But I missed you."

"Come here." Heero held out his hand and motioned for the other man to join him. Duo straightened and slowly walked to him with a lazy smile on his face. Heero could tell by the dark circles under red-rimmed eyes that his lover needed more sleep. As Duo sat down on his lap, Heero slid his arm around the satin covered waist and pulled his lover's body against his chest.

Duo's lips pressed against his temple for a long moment before he slumped in Heero's embrace. "You scared me, ya know?"

"How so?" Heero asked while placing a reassuring kiss on the other man's jaw as he cradled him in his arms. Duo needed a shave.

There was a long pause before Duo replied, "I was afraid you'd left."

"I promise I won't do that," Heero assured him. "At least not without telling you where I'm going and why I'm leaving."

"That's good." The long-haired man snuggled closer to him, one arm wrapping around the back of his neck.

Several silent yet pleasant minutes passed before Duo pulled back to look at him again. "You're still bothered by Taylor aren't you?"

Heero looked into those amethyst-colored eyes and found himself unwilling to see anything but love and concern shining within them. "Maybe just a little, but it's Wufei and Relena that I'm worried about." He consoled himself by the fact that at least he was being partially honest with his lover.

A frown momentarily marred Duo's handsome face and worry shone in his eyes. "I'm worried about them, too, even though there's nothing I can do for either of them at the moment."

"I need to return to Sanq in the morning and then head back to space. I'm going to try and retrace Wufei's footsteps to see if I can find a clue as to what's happened to him. If he discovered something about the marauders, it's possible he might have fallen victim to them."

"I thought Quatre said they haven't harmed anyone."

"They haven't killed anyone," Heero corrected him. "They used stun guns in the beginning, but on the last ship they boarded there was an altercation. The crew decided to put up a fight and they were all stunned into an unconscious state. The report states that a member of the freighter's crew shot one of the pirates."

A look of alarm flashed in Duo's eyes, but it was replaced so quickly by an expression of concern that Heero wondered exactly what Duo's initial reaction had been. "Do you think they'll retaliate?"

Heero was having a hard time concentrating at the moment. With Duo's face so close to his own and the hint of peppermint telling him that the other man had recently brushed his teeth, there was more than enough reason for distraction. That combined with Duo's natural scent was like an aphrodisiac to his senses. His eyes shifted downward and it was almost his undoing to see the poor excuse of a robe Duo wore had slid open, exposing the very part of his lover's body it was supposed to be covering.

He wasn't subtle about his visual appraisal of the other man, and Duo evidently appreciated the attention. A smile twitched at the corners of his lover's lips just before he leaned down to steal a kiss. At the last moment, Heero turned his head, self-conscious about his own lack of hygiene. "I've got morning breath and need another shower," he explained.

Duo leaned in closer and took a deep breath. "The smell of our love making doesn't put me off. Believe me, I've smelled worse. Besides, who said I was only aiming to kiss your mouth?" After giving him a devilish grin, Duo shifted off his lap and deftly pulled the T-shirt up and over his head before beginning a trail of kisses starting with his shoulders and drifting to his collar bone, chest and teasingly worked his way south.

His body reacted quickly to Duo's talented mouth, and was startled by just how desperate he was for the other man's touch, but he knew he had to stop him. Though his lover was too tempting to resist, he knew Duo was in no shape to go another round. He loved the man enough to put his welfare above his own desires. Grabbing Duo's upper arms, he halted his downward progress. "Duo, please stop."

Uncomprehending eyes looked up for an explanation. "What?"

"We'll have time in the morning. You're too tired right now to enjoy anything but sleep."

Duo opened his mouth to disagree, but then his shoulders slumped and he leaned his weary head against his upper thigh. "You're right," he said so softly Heero had to strain to hear him. "Sorry."

Heero stood from the chair and pulled Duo up with him. "There's nothing to be sorry for. Come on. Let's go back to bed."

"Think you can sleep now?" Duo asked as Heero put his arm over his lover's shoulders to guide him back down the hall.

"I think I can," he answered.

It took less than two minutes for Duo to fall back to sleep, his head resting on Heero's shoulder, his naked body pressed up against his side. The steady puff of warm breath against his skin and the heat emanating from his lover's body almost made Heero regret putting Duo off from making love until the morning, but he knew his lover needed more rest. He turned his thoughts to the morning and how he would put a smile on the long-haired man's face again. Maybe after they made love, they could have a quick breakfast together before he caught a taxi to the airport.

Closing his eyes, he breathed in the scent of his lover and marveled at how wonderful it was to have him in his arms once again. Damn, he loved the man, regardless of the fact that Duo was keeping something from him. Whatever his secret was, it must be important, very important, because the American did his best to be honest. Of course there had been times during the war when he'd had been forced to lie, to save his hide or escape being caught. But when it came to people who mattered to him, Duo could be counted on to be open and honest. Even though Duo hadn't committed himself to him, hadn't said he loved him, he knew he considered him as more than a friend, had accepted him back into his life as his lover. So, if the man was lying, there had to be a very good reason. Did he trust Duo? The answer came in an instant. He did trust the American, with his life and heart. After coming to that conclusion, he relaxed and did his best to let all his doubts go. He took a moment to calm his mind and then his body until he was fully relaxed. And finally he yawned.

Duo mumbled something in his sleep, and Heero couldn't help but smile and press the long-haired man closer. The rare feeling of complete contentment enveloped him. It was something he hadn't felt in five long years, and he knew he never wanted to lose it again. Keeping Duo safe and by his side was worth any sacrifice on his part. He would do anything for Duo Maxwell, even if his lover wasn't being truthful with him at the moment. He knew, sooner or later, he would discover the answer for himself, or Duo would tell him what was going on, because the man wouldn't be able to live with a lie forever. Though Duo had been a child of the streets, he lived by a personal code of honor. He would do the right thing, eventually.

Resigning himself to living with yet another unsolved puzzle, at least until Duo was ready to trust him with his secrets, he closed his eyes and let his mind calm completely before following his lover into the realm of slumber.

TBC


	43. Chapter 44

**Lies - Between Friends and Lovers  
**Chapter 44

Friday was definitely one of the more difficult days for working at the distribution center. Relena arrived well before it was time to open the doors and wasn't surprised to find a large group of people already lined up for their weekly food allotment. They stood in silence and displayed more patience than she would have thought possible, considering this group received fewer rations than the other citizens. This was the group she belonged to; single men and women, sixteen and older, with no dependents. If it wasn't for Hilde allowing her to work at the distribution center, she would be standing in line with them, silent, hollow with hunger and praying the door to their food supply would hurry up and open She felt a bit guilty about having received the prized job that not only gave her something to fill the long hours of the day, but also for receiving a small, added portion of food than she received as recompense for her daily service. She kept her eyes down as she made her way past the somber line to the front door of the building. And like the day before, Hilde was standing behind the front window, looking out at the growing line. Their eyes met and the petite, ebony haired young woman moved to the front door and waited while she pushed her way through the line, murmuring apologies as she jostled with those refusing to step aside. Those standing at the front of the line perked up when they noticed the other woman unlocking the door. But they were disappointed when Hilde reached out and pulled Relena inside before shutting the door firmly behind her and locking it.

The eight workers had a few moments before the doors opened to get set up and place their mismatched kerchiefs on their heads. Relena experienced a flutter of anticipation as Hilde returned to the front door and paused with her hands on the lock and doorknob. Looking over her shoulder, she made eye contact with each worker, silently asking them if they were ready.

The distinctive click of the lock opening filled the air and alerted those waiting both inside and out that the center was now open for business. The listless line of people flickered to life, and as a group they surged forward, shuffling towards the front door and spilling into the room. Two of the larger men who worked there made an effort to bring some order to the group and soon had them herded into six lines, each one leading to a worker behind the counter who would check their badges and bring out the last of the week's food.

Though she tried not to stare, Relena couldn't help but notice the ragged clothing and the thin, sunken faces that greeted her as each person stepped up to the counter. Despite the limited amount of food each person received, she saw relief flash in their otherwise the dull eyes when each man and woman swept their containers off the counter and into their arms. But before they rushed out the door to hide their week's allotment of food, the majority of them paused to utter a word or two of gratitude.

Several times she'd had to turn her head to hide the tears in her eyes, especially when the few, frail elderly displayed their badge with skeletal hands that trembled with feebleness the comes from both age and prolonged hunger. This wasn't the way someone was supposed to spend the last few years of their life, she thought, though she was sadly aware that no one, no matter what age, deserved to be starved to death for some political ideal, especially when those who were suffering the most didn't understand the reasons for their plight.

After several hours of manning the front counter, Hilde pulled her from her position and asked another worker to take her place so she could take a break. The two young women each warmed up a package of what was supposed to be stroganoff, their earning for a day's work at the center. Several weeks ago, Relena would probably have turned a polite yet snooty nose up at the odd, smelly rations. But having suffered the pains of hunger everyday since her arrival on L2, she didn't hesitate to rip open the foil pouch and savor every last bite, even going so far as to lick the nasty tasting gravy off the inside lining.

"How are you doing, Lena?" Hilde asked as she finished the last of her meal.

"I'm fine now that I've got some food in me," she answered, setting the empty pouch down and sliding the kerchief off her hair and setting it on the crate they used as a bench.

"Bet you never dreamed you'd be living like this, did you?"

"Never," she said with a shake of her head.

With a sigh Hilde leaned back to rest her head against the wall. With a turn of her head she looked at her companion and said thoughtfully, "I've heard it said all our life experiences can be looked upon as a lesson, that we can learn and grow from even the most difficult situations instead of letting them get the better of us. What have you learned from your time here, Lena?"

Relena sensed that there was more to Hilde's question than mere curiosity or idle conversation. She met the steady, blue-eyed gaze, no longer belonging to the brave girl she'd met on Libra years before, but to a young woman who had seen suffering and lived through many hardships. "I've learned that being hungry is horrible and that I've taken for granted all that I have. How could I have been so naive when it came to the struggles of others? I've known terrible loss and grief, Hilde, but not true depravation. I used to believe that if we could just lay down our weapons and have peace we could concentrate on the other problems in the world, and that would ultimately lead to happiness for everyone. Now I wonder if that's even possible."

"You're not responsible for everyone's happiness," Hilde interjected. "Neither is it your job to make sure everyone gets along."

"Perhaps," Relena said, her eyes straying from the other woman to look out the backdoor of the room to the outside. "Funny, but even in the struggle to survive here, there is a strange feeling of peace on L2, and I'm not just talking about the lack of noise." After a long moment of thought she reconsidered. "Maybe it's not peace I feel here, but the lack of hope, an accepting lethargy that takes hold while you wait for death."

Hilde snorted. "Now you're going from being philosophical to morbid."

"I think being morbid is quite acceptable in this situation."

"You just ate a meal and you're giving up already?" Hilde teased. "Where's that girl who set herself into the middle of a war in order to try to talk to her brother out of his destructive plan? Who risked her life to do what she felt necessary in order to save her planet? Can it be that L2 is too big of a problem for your delicate sensibilities to handle?"

A glare from Relena was her answer to that last question. A moment later, she shook her head. "I just can't understand how the UEC could have gotten the situation here so wrong. The reports stated that a lawless group, a gang, had taken over the colony, but now all I see are desperate men, women and children, all suffering.... and for what?"

"That might have been one way to describe L2 a couple of years ago," Hilde stated with a frown as she thought of the past. "The colony was plagued by several rival gangs fighting for control, but the thugs responsible for a lot of the crime and violence here were taken care of, thanks to the Guardians and a vote by the colony citizens. After they were dealt with, and justly, I might add, our only worry became getting enough food and surviving. And now every colonist who has managed to live this long believes the UEC is utterly despicable and evil. Your government didn't give a shit about what happened here after they put up the embargo or about the rest of us struggling to survive. They've written our colony off as a loss, evidenced by the fact that they haven't sent anyone to check on our condition. Most likely they won't until the crews who deliver their puny emergency supplies are no longer received here. Then they'll know they were successful in killing off every last one of us."

"It won't come to that," Relena said firmly. "It just can't."

Hilde put a hand on Relena's arm to gain her full attention. "Given the chance, would you do what you could to change this, to help L2 when nobody else will?"

Before answering, Relena searched her heart. Could she ever forget about the people she'd met here if she woke up one morning back on Earth? Back in her palace with all the luxuries she'd been accustomed to, being waited on by maids? With a purse full of credits and shopping malls, entertainment, food, water and anything her heart desired would she remember these weeks of deprevation? She didn't have to think about the answer to her questions. She knew, without a shadow of a doubt, she could never forget the faces of the desperate and hungry people she'd seen and served in the distribution center Despite all that she had gone through, the people who lived and survived thus far were stronger, braver and more resourceful than she could have been without their examples. Yes, she had grown as a person during the weeks she'd lived in poverty. And despite being hungry, she was probably stronger than she'd ever been before, in mind if not in body.

Returning Hilde's gaze, she answered, "I will never forget what I've seen and felt here. Given the opportunity, I would do everything within my power to change things, to make the UEC see the mistake they've made. I would give voice to the people of L2 and let the citizens of Earth and the colonies, who've been kept ignorant of what is going on here, know of your needless suffering. And then I'd tell them of the resourcefulness and order I've witnessed. And if that doesn't turn the UEC around, then I'll find a way to break the embargo myself and spend every last dime I can get my hands on to bring food to you."

While answering her question, Hilde's gaze never left her own. The other woman's face and demeanor was every bit as serious as her own. But after she finished speaking, a small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. "I'm glad to know that you're more than just window dressing, Lena."

Relena couldn't help but return the faint smile. "Thank you, Hilde. I thought you were a brave, plucky girl when we met on Libra, but you've grown into a strong, resilient woman. You're every bit as much a fighter now as you were during the war. I can only hope to be just as strong one day."

"Don't sell yourself short, girly," Hilde said with a lopsided grin. "I expect great things of you yet."

A few moments later Hilde suggested they get back to work. They tossed their empty food packages into the waste container and returned to the front of the center, ending their conversation for the day

*****************************

Even after seeing one suffering face after another approach her in the distribution center, Relena managed to offer a genuine smile to each person she served. At the beginning of each day, Hilde reminded everyone who volunteered there to greet those coming for their weekly allotment of food with respect and kindness. She was convinced something as simple as a smile and friendly hello went a long way towards keeping tempers and the general L2 misery at bay. Working with the dark-haired woman was a surprisingly good experience. More and more each day, her admiration grew for the petite young woman who had proven to be organized and efficient as well as fair and compassionate.

Working alongside Hilde and the others that made up the crew of food dispensers, Relena managed to learn more about where the majority of the food was coming from. It wasn't from the UEC government's aid program, as she'd been told, but from an unidentified group who managed to sneak past the blockade to deliver food and goods to supplement the inadequate amount her government sent. Hilde called this group of do-gooders the L2 Guardians, the same name as those citizens who voluntarily saw to the welfare of the colony's citizens.

Of course, Relena had read several of the many reports regarding a group of space pirates who had been hijacking colony freighters and took everyday goods from them and, surprisingly, paid for what they took with credits equal to a fair market price. It made sense that the two groups, marauders and Guardians, were one and the same. It seemed to her that Hilde and everyone on the colony was aware of the extra supplies being brought in by these "Guardians" and they viewed them as L2's saviors, and rightly so. This group of good Samaritans brought food, water and medical supplies to L2, as well as generators, blankets and clothing for the estimated 5,000 people still living on the beleaguered colony.

Relena, grudgingly at first, felt a deep sense of gratitude for the aid the marauders provided and her contempt grew for the UEC for sending a vastly insufficient amount of food and water to the colony. She and Hilde had debated over why the government sent so little. Her initial defense of the government sounded lame even to her own ears. Though Hilde never raised her voice in their debates, she adamantly defended the actions of those called the Guardians. Evidence of their aid was more than apparent to Relena as she doled out supplies on a daily basis, supplies that lacked the UEC symbol which should be stamped on the back of each package that came in the scheduled humanitarian aid shipment.

Each night, as she lay in her bed listening to her roommates breathing, snorting and snoring, she pondered the many questions she had regarding these "Guardians" who delivered the food shipments that restocked the backroom at the distribution center at least once a week if not twice. Whoever it was, they had a lot of money behind them. And how in the world did they get past the UEC's blockade? She didn't dare ask her roommates those questions, not wanting to risk their ire, especially Havoc's, who seemed less than pleased with her since her arrival.

She was going crazy trying to come up with an answer to the question about who could be behind the mercy mission to L2. Each colony had wealthy citizens who subsidized charitable programs for the benefit for those in need... on their own colony. But she just couldn't come up with the name of anyone having that kind of financial clout on L2. Other than former governors, set up by the Alliance and arrested during the war for corruption, and notorious crime lords, she could only think of one L2 citizen who stood out, and that was Duo Maxwell.

She shook her head, doubting he could be the one helping this colony. She'd heard a rumor that he'd sworn off the colony shortly after the second war, vowing to never step foot on the place that had caused him nothing but heartache. One thing she'd learned from Heero, on the very few occasions he talked about his former gundam pilots, was that Duo Maxwell never lied. It was a code of honor he lived by. So she had to believe he hadn't been back to L2 since after the second war.

She was no closer to answering the puzzle after spending several nights pondering the issue and cautiously questioning her coworkers. Whoever L2's benefactors were, they were very careful to avoid being identified, and with good reason. Crossing a sanctioned embargo was not something to chance lightly, and the punishment would no doubt be severe for any who attempted breaking international law. However, in light of her firsthand experience of being on the wrong side of an embargo, she was more likely to give the marauders, or rather, Guardians, a medal of honor instead of a jail sentence. She'd thank them herself, given the chance, for breaking the law in order to supply L2 with the much needed, life-sustaining goods. The mere thought of what would have happened if they hadn't intervened was too horrible to contemplate for long.

She shook herself from her musing and glanced up in time to greet a family of four who promptly showed their identification badges. It was Monday, the first family day of the new week at the food center. Relena tried to ignore the look of desperation in their faces as she checked each badge to make sure they were there for the correct day, and that the four had the same number, signifying they were family members. Assured that they were together, she went back to the storeroom to collect the week's worth of food for them. Placing the containers on the counter, she didn't think it looked like very much for four people. No doubt they, like everyone else, would be hungry by the end of the week.

The man she guessed to be the children's father took a small burlap sack out of his baggy pants pocket and began to fill it with the packages of food and water. What didn't fit into it was carried in the arms of the mother and children. When everything had been removed from the counter top, the woman, looking tired and weak, paused before turning to look Relena in the eyes. Without any sign of recognition of who she was, the woman said through trembling lips, "Thank you."

The former Queen of the World nodded her head. It was hard for her accept the gratitude of the people receiving the food she handed out each day. After all, she wasn't really the one responsible for providing them with the life-sustaining goods, just a person who was fortunate enough to have the job of hand it out. Instead of the usual response to that expression of gratitude, she replied by saying with a smile, "I'll see you next week."

The family turned to leave and another one stepped forward to take their place at the front of the line. Her smile was a bit harder to achieve as she greeted the next hungry looking group.

Again Hilde pulled her aside for their mid-day meal in the back room, the ebony haired woman set an already heated pouch in her hands. Today the meal looked something like lasagna, though it really didn't smell anything like that once favorite dish. After a word of gratitude, she ate what she was given regardless of the taste or smell. Hunger, she'd learned, drove people to sometimes do things they normally wouldn't. She was well aware, thanks to Rida and Gian, that there were still quite a few desperate people on the colony who would do anything to earn an extra meal or two. Swapping sexual favors for a meal didn't seem like much when your stomach was hollow and death by starvation was a reality. Would she ever compromise her morals for a package of food? She wanted to believe she wouldn't, but she knew that desperate times called for equally desperate measures.

Hilde's voice brought her out of her dour thoughts. She was talking about her roommates, how one particular man snored so loud it kept the rest of the group awake a good portion of the night. Halfway thought her meal, Relena began to feel off, light headed and woozy. The room began to tilt as her body swayed and her tray of food slipped from her hands and fell to the cement floor. With heavy eyelids she tried to look up at Hilde to ask for help only to find that she couldn't. The words in her head wouldn't form. Unable to remain vertical, she slumped to the side, but a pair of hands on her shoulders caught her before she tumbled off her seat. She felt herself being cradled in warm arms as she descended into darkness. A soft voice whispered into her ear as the last moments of consciousness closed around her. "Don't forget us, Lena. Please, be our voice, our salvation."

TBC


	44. Chapter 45 and 46

**Lies - Between Friends and Lovers  
Chapter45**

Quatre woke slowly to the familiar nagging of his alarm clock. Flinging his arm in the direction from where the irritating disturbance was coming from, he slapped the button that brought immediate and blissful silence. He stretched and yawned loudly, feeling the slight ache that accompanied a vigorous bout of love making. It was Sunday, his mind recalled, causing him to smile. He simply adored Sundays. There was no where either one of them needed to be today, and no work or familial obligations. Whenever possible he and Trowa liked to spend Sunday morning lying abed while reading the newspaper, talking or simply enjoying each other. Reaching out to his left, he was disappointed to find Trowa's side of the bed vacant, the sheets cool to the touch. The barely audible sound of water running in the bathroom could now be heard, but a moment later it ended, indicating the shower had been shut off.

Several minutes later the bathroom door opened and he turned his head in time to watch his lover emerge wearing a pale blue towel wrapped around his waist. With his auburn hair combed back it was easy to see those stunning green eyes brighten as they turned to him. Trowa's lips curved upward as he strolled to the bed. Once he reached it, he bent over to kiss his lover good morning.

Quatre was aware his breath was probably less than appealing at the moment, so he kept the kiss brief, but that didn't stop him from hugging Trowa or copping a feel of the treasures hidden beneath the towel. The good news they'd received the night before seemed to have made the both of them rather insatiable.

Just as his lover pressed him down into the mattress the vid phone rang. With an apologetic smile, Trowa straightened and moved towards the desk. Over his shoulder he said, "Go ahead and take your shower. I'll handle this." Inserting the earpiece into his ear, Trowa hit the appropriate button and received the call with a quiet hello then listened to whatever the caller was saying. Though he was curious, Quatre knew Trowa would give him an account of who was calling and of his conversation. He made his way to the bathroom looking forward to a nice hot shower.

A good half hour had passed by the time he exited the bathroom wearing his favorite yellow bathrobe. Much to his disappointment, Trowa was fully dressed and sitting on the edge of the made-up bed. Figuring his lover really was ready to start the day, the blond proceeded to the dresser and asked over his shoulder. "Who called?"

"Heero. And five minutes after I hung up, Duo called."

With underwear and socks in hand, Quatre turned around, a worried crease forming between his eyes once more. Trowa continued. "Heero informed me he's on his way to Sanq and that he'll be leaving Earth shortly after he reports to Preventers, returning to L4 with an ETA sometime late Monday morning. He wants to speak with both of us about the report Agent Warfield submitted last night. I have the feeling that something in her report has aroused his suspicions."

Discarding his robe and pulling on his boxer briefs, Quatre asked, "What do you think it is?"

Trowa shrugged. "I'm not sure. Perhaps we didn't display proper concern for Wufei's absence. Agent Warfield might not have been able to capture in words your worried expression."

"I'm not much of an actor," the blond said as he moved to his closet and threw open the doors to look inside.

"You did well enough," Trowa answered. "I suppose we'll just have to wait and see what he suspects. We're in sync with our version of our last meeting with Wufei, so even if Heero splits us up to interrogate us, we'll be on the same page."

The look of worry on Quatre's face persisted. He glanced at the clock on the bedside table and noted the time was 8:10 a.m. "When are you supposed to leave for L2?"

"From here, around four tomorrow morning if I'm to pick up the crew and get there by late morning."

Quatre frowned. "You can't possibly be back in time to meet Heero. He's going to become suspicious of your frequent absences, regardless of any explanation I give him."

"I've already thought of that. When Duo called, I asked him to rendezvous with us a little closer to home. We briefly reviewed our discussion last night and he'll recheck with Rashid to make sure all the planet-side arrangements have been made."

"Did you tell him Wufei isn't to know he's involved or that there's a second ship. If he sees Duo, he'll realized we've lied to him, again. That might make him angry enough to do something we'll all regret."

"Yes, I instructed Duo not to let Wufei see him or his ship. I've got that part all figured out also." Then stepping forward to pick up one of the two socks that lay on the bed, Trowa directed the blond to sit down the edge of the mattress. Kneeling before him he began to slip it over his lover's slender foot. "I don't want you worrying unnecessarily about Wufei's reaction," he continued. "He's more level headed than he has ever been before. He'll remain true to his word even when he finds out there was a bit more to our operation than just supplying food to L2."

Several moments of silence stretched out as Quatre waited for his lover to elaborate on his plan. When it looked like Trowa wasn't going to say anything further, he tilted his head and said, "You're not going to tell me all that you have planned, are you?"

A ghost of a smile graced the brunet's handsome face. Having now pulled on both socks on Quatre's feet, he kissed one pale knee before him before rising. "It will make a good story when Wufei calls. Trust me, everything is going to work out."

Standing, Quatre slipped on a pair of pleated trousers and a polo shirt he'd selected, definitely dressing down for a day at home. And while he dressed his thoughts remained on Trowa's trip to L2 and what the end of the next day might bring. He then remembered that Duo had also called. "Why did Duo call?"

"Heero discovered Taylor."

"What!" Quatre's face blanched.

"Heero made a sudden trip to New York, intending to surprise Duo at the premiere he was to attend last Friday, the one Taylor was covering for him." Quatre's eyes widened almost comically with a look of horror. Trowa continued. "Heero wasn't fooled by Taylor's resemblance to Duo. He confronted him and apparently whisked him away from the theater and back to the apartment where he kept him hostage until Duo returned Saturday evening. Duo said the scene was rather tense at first, but he and Heero talked and he managed to convince Heero that Taylor is merely his stand-in for events he doesn't want to attend. Of course Heero questioned him about what he does when Taylor is taking his place. He's obviously trying to put two and two together, but Duo thinks he managed to persuade him that he really just wants to be free to be himself for a day or two, away from photographers and the public eye. Oh," he remembered something else. "If Heero asks, we stick to the story about Duo using the cabin up in Vermont."

The crease between Quatre's eyebrows deepened, a sign that his worrying was escalating. "Did he ask about the marauders or Relena?"

"Duo didn't say. But having learned about Taylor, Heero is bound to question again whether it was Duo or Taylor who was the at the restaurant when Relena was kidnaped. We'll have to make sure Taylor has his story straight. And knowing Duo, I'm sure he's been thoroughly coached by now to say he was somewhere else that night and that Duo was the one in that restaurant. We don't want to add any more to Heero's growing list of suspicions."

"Do you think Heero would arrest Duo if he did discover some link between him and the raids?"

Trowa contemplated that question for a moment. "I don't know. Heero has always been rather enigmatic. Choosing between his scruples and Duo might be one of his greatest challenges."

They both silently wondered what their Preventer friend would do if he found out about their involvement. While he might not be willing to haul Duo in, he didn't have the same emotional tie to them as he did the American.

Quatre looked up at Trowa, worry etched in his blue eyes as he stated, "I've got the papers drawn up that will turn over my shares of the family's business in case we're arrested, tried and found guilty of our crimes." Breaking eye contact, he moved to the bed and picked up his belt. The lighter, celebratory mood they had shared the night before was gone. Before beginning their quest to save L2's citizens from starving, preparations had been made to protect the family's business if they were identified as the men behind the raids on the freighters. They'd done their best to see that the ships they'd targeted were recompensed and that they operated without harming any member of the ships' crews. As careful as they had been, the odds of being discovered grew each time they boarded a freighter and confiscated a portion of their goods.

"I'm sure it won't come down to Heero having to make that decision," Trowa said, approaching his lover and gently brushing his hands aside to finish buckling his belt. "If Wufei can understand our reasons for what we do, enough to abandon his job as a Preventer to join us, there is hope Heero can be persuaded of our good intentions." Pulling the end of the belt through the last loop, Trowa gave the belt a small tug, bringing the blond even closer. Then putting his hand on Quatre's chin and raised it slightly so he lean down and place a kiss on his lips. As natural as taking a breath, Quatre leaned into his lover, savoring the taste and touch of the man he loved so dearly.

Abruptly breaking the kiss, the blond businessman wrapped his arms around the taller man and held him tightly. "I don't want to lose you, Trowa," he whispered, his voice strained and his eyes welling up at the thought of possibly being separated from his lover for many years.

Running his hand over the blond hair, Trowa said with as much confidence as he could muster, "You'll never lose me, my heart."

"If we're convicted and sent to prison, it will be just like losing you."

"Then I'll be even more careful on this last run."

"But Heero..."

"Will be kept in the dark," the brunet said firmly. "We will each keep playing our parts and hold on for another couple of days. Once Relena is returned to Earth, she'll do something about L2's situation. Hilde wouldn't have alerted Howard unless she'd seen a definite change in her."

"I pray that you're right, Trowa. Relena is our last hope for reaching the public and putting enough pressure on the UEC to begin changing what's been happening on L2. I can bear the thought of losing my home, money and even the respect of my family, but I can't imagine life without you."

"We've talked all of this out before. You, Duo and I all agreed that the lives of the people on L2 were worth the risks we've taken. Do you feel differently now that we might have become suspects?"

Quatre's answer was immediate. "No. The actions we took were necessary. Someone had to step forward and help those unfortunate people. I can't regret what we've done in order to save them or agreeing to help Duo when he asked for our support. It was the right thing to do, even if we are found out and arrested."

Reluctantly easing back, Quatre looked up and into the green eyes of his lover and saw love and reassurance in their depths. Trowa brushed back the soft blond curls hovering over his lover's left temple and tucked them behind his ear. "Hold onto that thought, Quatre. I swear to you that if we are arrested, charged and sentenced to prison, I'll find a way to be with you, even if I have to break the both of us out. We'll live on the run, if we have blue funk."

"Just like the good old days."

Trowa gave his lover a smile and nod of his head.

"You are my heart and soul," Quatre said as he stroked Trowa's cleanly shaved cheek, knowing that Trowa knew his declaration to be true.

And just has honestly, Trowa replied, "And you are everything to me."

The kiss that followed was tender yet transmitted a hint of desperation, and then they held each other for several minutes before leaving the bedroom together, hand in hand. There were still tasks that needed to be completed before Trowa's departure the next morning, but all of that could wait until after breakfast.

TBC

Lies Between Friends and Lovers

CHAPTER 46

Typically, Wufei considered himself a morning person. But when he woke up Monday morning he really didn't feel like getting up. Since returning to the thought-to-be abandoned satellite from the botched raid on the Eclipse, he'd remained in bed feeling despondent and unsociable. He stared at very familiar off-white ceiling and the five similarly painted pipes that went from one end of the ceiling to the other, ignoring the slight throbbing pain in his wounded arm and wondering about his future. Was there a future after abandoning his position as a Preventer and joining the marauders?

He thought back to the day he'd confronted Trowa in the hanger of this very satellite. The information Trowa had gathered four years earlier hinted that certain members of the UEC government had acted against L2 for reasons other than the mere lawlessness on that colony. Trowa managed to intercept a handful of emails between those like-minded men. Phrases such as clean sweep, Noah's Arc, and pest control peppered the otherwise carefully crafted memos. While the threat of systematically annihilating the inhabitants of an unnamed colony seemed to be their goal, none of the private messages stated outright that L2 was their target. However, the often used initials S.C., an abbreviated term for slum colony, which was how the corresponding emails referred to their subject, couldn't be anything but the poor, trouble fraught L2. It didn't take a genius to realize the "pests" or some other undesirable vermin referred to in those messages were references to that colony's citizens.

Trowa traveled to Earth and presented the emails to Director Une. After carefully reading them over, the head of the Preventers removed her glasses and looked up at Trowa with a solemn expression. Despite the veiled threats in the emails, she told him there was no real proof that the men had broken any laws. Unless it could be proved they'd acted against L2 for reasons other than that colony's refusal to comply with UEC's laws, she was unable to take steps towards charging the men with a crime. After studying the names again, she recognized most of them as being those representatives responsible for drafting and pushing the bill that would permit the government to levy the embargo. The only action she could take, Une told him, was to put their names on a watch list and assign a couple of agents to investigate their pasts to see if there was a common, underlying reason for their actions beyond their dislike for the impoverished colony. The emails, inadmissible in court, would be used only as a basis for further investigation.

Disappointed but not surprised by the inability of the Preventers to do anything further, Trowa continued keeping tabs on the five men, believing it was only a matter of time before one of them let something incriminating slip, and then the Preventers would arrest and charge them with any number of crimes.

The chime at his door brought Wufei out of his thoughts. He eased himself to his side and slid his legs off the bed. With a grunt he forced himself to sit up, wincing as the movement pulled on his sutures. He made it to his feet and then walked to the doorway where he pushed the button that slid the metal door open, revealing Howard on the other side, dressed all in black. The smiling, overly-cheerful man handed him an armful of clothing. "Good morning, Wufei. We just got a call to pick up an important package from L2. If I'm right, and I almost always am, this might be our last run."

Wufei blinked, surprised by the announcement. "What do you mean?"

"Just get dressed and you'll find out soon enough."

"I wish you would speak plainly and just tell me what is happening. I don't like going into any situation unprepared."

Howard pushed the clothing towards him again, which looked like the green generic uniform typically worn by men and women who worked on ship repairs. "Think you can manage that, or do you need some help?"

Slightly offended by the insinuation that he couldn't take care of himself, Wufei turned his nose up at the Sweeper. "I haven't needed help before this, so I highly doubt I need it now."

"Good. We'll be taking off for L2 in half an hour. Why don't you hit the galley and get something to eat before then, all right?" Howard waited for his nod of agreement, then turned and left Wufei to dress.

As he struggled to remove his night clothes and re-dress in the clothing Howard had supplied, using only one hand, Wufei wondered about the item they were going to pick up from L2. Whatever it was, it must be of great importance if it could end the blockade. Was it proof of the people's suffering? Perhaps a representative from L2 was going to speak with the UEC in an effort to persuade them into lifting the sanctions. One of the emaciated children alone would be enough to enrage the public, he thought. By the time he zipped up the front of the jumpsuit, he felt more tired than he should have been from the effort. Unwilling to move his arm enough to pull his hair back into its normal style, he had little choice but to leave it down. Following Howard's instruction he boarded the shuttle and went to the galley and made himself a very simple breakfast.

Howard poked his head into the room just as he was cleaning his dishes. The engineer asked him to come to the cockpit as soon as he was able. It was time to leave.

Wufei followed two minutes later, noticing as he passed that the main hatch had been closed and secured. Entering the cockpit, he was surprised to find Trowa sitting in the pilot's chair, his nimble fingers running over the systems in a pre-departure check. The absence of the other two crew members indicated to Wufei that this flight was going to be a three man job.

"Everyone take your seats," Trowa said, and with a turn of his head he locked eyes with Wufei and gave him a slight nod in greeting. He then returned to the task of preparing the shuttle for takeoff. "We need to make this a fast trip," he added. "I've got Heero coming to visit later today and I need to return home as soon as possible. Something about the interview Quatre and I had with Agent Warfield has made him suspicious."

Wufei wanted to ask about the item they were picking up and where they were taking it, but he'd learned early on that Trowa and Howard told him only what he needed to know. If they withheld information, it was for his benefit, or so both men had told him repeatedly. He had to trust them, which was difficult at times because he really didn't like not knowing what was going on.

It was just after noon, L2 time, when the blinking lights of the colony could be seen clearly from the port bow. Once they were safely docked, Trowa and Howard stood from their seats and asked Wufei to remain where he was, that they would return shortly. Since he wasn't wearing the black clothing they used to hide their identity, he remained in his seat. From there he watched as Trowa cover his head with the black mask and then proceed to open the hatch. But that was as far as he went. Trowa remained inside the shuttle while Howard, his face also covered, stepped out and disappeared down the ramp to the deck below. It was more than apparent that this time they didn't have cargo to unload, but Wufei couldn't help but wonder why they included him on this trip if he wasn't needed?

Ten minutes passed, and during that time Trowa remained silent, which really wasn't unusual for the man. Then Wufei heard the sound of footsteps approaching. Curious as to what or who they were picking up, he stood from his seat to greet the returning engineer. Trowa, still on guard at the door, gave Howard a hand as the man re-entered the shuttle carrying a large, blanket-wrapped bundle in his arms. The hatch was once again closed and sealed before Trowa followed Howard to one of the passenger seats where he carefully set the mysterious bundle down. He then proceeded to unwrap the blankets from around the person inside, exposing both their face and identity.

"What the hell?" Wufei exclaimed, turning angry eyes to Howard.

"She's sedated and we're taking her back to Earth," Howard explained calmly.

"You kidnaped Relena Peacecraft! Why?"

"I think you're smart enough to figure it out."

Wufei quickly went over the logical reasons for why Relena had been kidnapped and sent to L2. "Think of the big picture," Howard urged with a sober expression. "This wasn't your typical kidnaping for ransom or revenge."

A possible answer came to the Preventer's mind. "Having seen and lived as one of the people of L2, Relena will be a credible voice for them, a witness to their suffering. She's always been a person the people of Earth's sphere listen to, even when she was just a teenager. No doubt she'll have the attention of the media when she suddenly returns."

Howard winked at him, a grin tugging at his lips. Wufei frowned, glancing from Howard to Trowa and then back again. "Are you certain she will be sympathetic and not angry and resentful for being forced to live in such desperate condition?."

"Our source on L2 has assured me that Relena declared her intention to do whatever it takes to end the suffering on L2," Howard said and he bent to secure the sleeping woman in her seat.

"And she'll be none the wiser about who brought her here?"

"She was in a similar state on her trip to L2," Trowa said. "We'll give her another injection half way through the flight so she'll not wake up again until she's back on Earth and we're long gone."

Wufei contemplated for a moment everything he'd just learned, then with a perplexed expression asked, "And the purpose for my being on his flight?"

Trowa put a hand on his friend's shoulder and gave it a slight squeeze. "With Relena's pledge to help L2, our work is almost done. Thank you, Wufei, for joining us, but now that it's over we're going to do what we can to return you to your life with as little damage to your position in the Preventers as possible."

"How do you propose to pull that off?" he asked, dubious that his career could be salvaged at this point. If his defection was brought out in the open, any job in the field of law enforcement would be out of the question, even though he'd previously been an effective agent.

Howard looked at his watch and said, "Let's get off this colony and back into space. I'll tell you what I can after we're away from here." Then with a glance at the ebony-haired man he asked, "You do want to return to your job, don't you?"

Wufei sighed and leaned against the seat in front of Relena's and answered. "I honestly don't know. Even though I've done my part in seeing that the peace we fought for was secure, I feel the UEC's politics has taken a turn for the worse. As a Preventer, there was little to nothing I could do about their unjust actions towards L2. Hell, I believed they were justified until I was given the marauder's case. I think I might be more effective in securing the peace if I resigned my post and applied for a job with Quatre. I've observed that Winner and Barton not only have their fingers on the pulse of the colonies, but that they also need someone to steer them away from trouble."

Trowa smiled and Howard laughed out loud at Wufei's reply. "And I think you are just the person to do that, at least until they are needed to save the next colony."

"Give it some more thought after this is all over," Trowa advised. "But if you're serious about the job, I'll speak with Quatre. I can guarantee he'll find something for you in his organization and make it worth your while." Turning, the tall, auburn haired man returned to the cockpit to prepare for the next stage of their flight.

"Take a seat, Wufei." Howard motioned to the seat across from where their newest passenger sat sleeping. "I'll be back after we pass the blockade and explain to you what we've got planned."

For the next two hours El Diablo cruised through space toward a rendezvous point Wufei had been told about, but was kept ignorant of. He slept for part of the journey, then listened to Howard as he gave him his simple but workable solution.

One hour and a meal later, he changed back into his Preventer uniform and watched as Relena was given an injection to keep her asleep for another eight hours. Howard then turned to him and grinned. "You better sit down. This stuff works quickly once it enters the blood stream."

Wufei moved to take off his jacket but Howard put a restraining hand on his arm. "Don't bother."

Taking his seat across the aisle from Relena, Wufei waited for further instructions. While Howard prepared the next injection he asked, "Are you sure this injection is merely meant as an attempt to explain my absence to my superiors, or is it a way to keep me from meeting your contact?"

"Both," Howard grinned, then suddenly and without warning he pressed the injector onto Wufei's thigh and depressed the syringe, sending the fast-acting drugs through his clothing and into his flesh. The abrupt action took the Chinese man by surprise.

Grunting, Wufei muttered in complaint, "You could have warned me."

Howard merely shrugged as he held up the syringe to make sure the entire vial had been emptied. "It's not everyday I get to surprise a former gundam pilot."

As Howard promised, the drug in his system worked with astonishing speed. Wufei found the interior of the shuttle and the man beside him quickly fading. Unable to resist the pull, he closed his eyes and let himself tumble into a dreamless sleep.

TBC


	45. Chapter 47

Lies Between Friends and Lovers  
CHAPTER 47

The docking hatch between the two identical ships popped open and Duo Maxwell, dressed head to toe in black, walked through it with a broad grin as he greeted the older man he'd come to think of as family. "Hey, Howard!" The two men briefly embraced each other with loud slaps to their backs. Stepping away, Duo grinned at his friend. "So this is really it?" Hope danced in his violet eyes.

"Hilde sent a note stating that Relena fully understands L2's plight and is sympathetic to the people and deteriorating conditions there. Let's hope the girl can live up to our expectations."

"She has to, she's our last hope," Duo replied soberly. "It's hard to believe nearly a month has passed since I went to Sanq to get her. I was actually sitting on the garden wall, waiting for the house lights to go out, when she came tip-toeing out of the house and climbed over the wall. She made it all too easy for me to snatch her off the street."

"You took a big chance snagging a princess."

Duo shrugged. "With the UEC basically ignoring L2, we were running out of time and options. We took this action out of desperation and knew we could trust our contacts on L2 to take care of her. I didn't think she would speak out for L2 unless she experienced for herself how god awful it is there. We would have taken her out of there if she really couldn't handle it or if she became ill."

Howard clapped him on the back. "And now it's almost over. The embargo, the injustice, the marauders and the raids. And just in time. I think I need a vacation."

"I hope you're right, Howie," Duo said with a sigh. "I can't keep this up much longer, not with Heero dogging my heels."

"You complaining?"

Duo looked into the older man's twinkling eyes as he answered. "Not about Heero being back in my life, but it complicates things. He's smart and damn close to figuring out that I'm somehow involved in this. If we quit now, I might have a chance at pulling this off and not losing him again." A look of fear flashed in the braided man's eyes as he added, "I can't lose him, Howard. I just can't."

Howard didn't know what to say to the younger man. He wasn't convinced that allowing Heero back into his life was the wisest decision Duo's ever made, considering their violent breakup. But instead of voicing his opinion, he simply changed the subject. "I've got an extra passenger for you to take back to Earth."

A cinnamon eyebrow rose in question, to which Howard answered, "I've got the AWOL Preventer sound asleep next to the girl."

"Wufei?"

Howard pointed his friend to the front of the shuttle's cabin and Duo made his way there, stopping at the front row to look first at Relena, wrapped in a blanket and sleeping deeply. He then turned his attention to the sleeping Chinese man. Seeing his former comrade's face, placid now in his drugged induced sleep instead of his usual serious expression, Duo smiled fondly at him. "He sleeps like he doesn't have a care in the world." Then studying the man more closely he observed, "He looks all right. His wound is healing?"

"He's good. A little sore but I think he'll be able to cover up the fact that he was shot."

Glancing up at Howard Duo asked, "So what gives? Why is he drugged?"

The older man leaned against the back of Wufei's seat. "If my hunch is right, we won't have to supply food and water to L2 once Relena is returned to Earth. Quatre and Trowa thought Wufei might be able to salvage his job if he returned with her and the explanation that he never saw his captors and wasn't sure who abducted him. He'll recall his ship had mechanical problems, which Trowa took care of before they dropped it off, but he won't remember exactly where he was when he was taken, only that he was pursuing a hunch near the shipping lanes of L1. His lack of memory and ability to ID his abductors will hopefully be enough to keep him above suspicion."

"Heero will be hard to fool," said Duo, looking worried.

"Wufei is more than capable of handling Heero. Give your friend some credit."

"And I suspect you sedated him so he wouldn't know I was the one bringing he and Relena back to Earth."

"Exactly," Howard answered. "He has my word, as well as Trowa and Quatre's, that you're not involved in this operation. We intend to keep him ignorant of your involvement."

Duo shook his head and combed his hand through the loose hair over his forehead. "So many lies," he said in a defeated tone. "I've lied to Heero and Wufei. Quatre and Trowa lied to them, too."

"Sometimes a lie between friends as well as lovers can be justified, as long as it's for a greater good and you don't make a habit of it."

There was a look of sadness on the young man's handsome face when he said, "I never used to lie, Howie. In fact, since the fire at the orphanage, I've made a point of being honest as a way of honoring Father Maxwell and Sister Helen."

Howard nodded, recalling the story of Duo's life shortly before he stowed away on one of his ships. "And I've always respected your honesty, but everyone lies at one point or another, Duo. I think saving the lives of the people on L2 is worth a lie or two, don't you? And I'll not see any of you go to prison for your humanitarian work if I can help it. The authorities might see what we've been doing as breaking a law, but sometimes we answer to a higher law, one that requires us to care for one another."

"So it's all right to pick and choose which of God's and man's laws we follow? I think I recall one about not lying and another about not stealing?"

"The one I'm thinking of is higher up on that list," Howard said in all seriousness. "Love thy neighbors as thyself. Besides, we didn't steal; we paid for everything we took."

"You two could continue debating the right and wrong of lying all day," Trowa said coming out of the cockpit door, "or we could make better use of our time by getting these two unloaded so that I can get back home before Heero comes looking for me."

"Hey, Tro," Duo greeted his friend with a tired smile as he turned to give the taller man a quick embrace. Pulling back, a weary sigh escaped the braided man. "Ya know, when this is all over I think I'm gonna need a long vacation. How about getting together for some down time without any talk about shipping lanes, embargos and starving people."

"That's exactly what Quatre needs," Trowa replied. "I'll call you as soon as the embargo is lifted. How does a vacation sound?"

"If it includes a deserted beach and warm tropical breezes, it sounds like just what the doctor ordered," Duo replied with a growing grin. He then looked at Howard after feeling a hand pat his shoulder.

"It's time to go, kiddo," the older man stated. "Why don't you carry Relena and I'll haul Wufei over to your ship."

"No, I'll carry him," Trowa interjected. "You're getting a little long in the tooth to be hauling around dead-weight."

"Long in the tooth!" Howard exclaimed, taking a playful swing at the younger man and smacking him against the side of the head with the flat of his hand. "There ain't nothing wrong with my teeth nor my reach." Hearing the two friends chuckling at his reply, Howard unfastened Wufei's seatbelt and with an ease that belied his years, swung the unconscious young man over his shoulder with only a slight grunt for his effort. "There," he said, his voice slightly strained as he straightened. "Nothing to it." He turned and staggered a step or two as he retreated to the back of the shuttle, to the tube that connected the two ships.

"Show off," Trowa commented with a grin.

Duo leaned down to unfasten Relena's seat belt before picking her up, blanket and all, and put her over his shoulder in the same undignified manner that Howard had Wufei. "Howie's got his pride, though I'll bet he's cursing it right now." He straightened and gave his friend a tired grin.

Trowa's expression was serious when he said, "I don't have to tell you to be careful returning them, do I?"

Duo snorted. "Believe me, I know how important it is that I'm not discovered. Wouldn't that be the worst luck, to get away with what we have only to get caught on the last run? Don't worry, Tro. I've got it all worked out up here," he said with a crooked grin and a tap of his finger to his temple. "I'll just toss Wufei into the mix. No problem." He turned to follow Howard, but paused to look back at his friend to ask, "You'll call me and tell me how the visit with Heero went? He seemed pretty calm when he left my place but he's been worried about Wufei. I guess I just need a heads up if he suspects anything more."

"I'll call," Trowa assured him.

With that, the two friends parted. Duo carried Relena into Wraith and set her in a seat identical to the one she'd been sleeping on in El Diablo. Howard was buckling Wufei into his seat and covering him with a blanket while Duo began to follow his actions with Relena.

When he finished, he straightened to see Howard regarding him. "You better stop frowning, Duo, or you'll end up looking like me, wrinkled and old before your time."

Duo chuckled. "Can't have that now, can we, old man?"

"Not when someone is paying a ridiculous amount of money putting your handsome mug in all the magazines, selling one thing or another."

Duo shook his head, smiling ruefully. "Well, as far as that's concerned, I don't think I'll be working in the modeling trade much longer. I think it's about time I find myself something else to do."

"What line of work could pay better?"

Duo shrugged. "Sure, the money is great but having to deal with the insecurities and egos in the trade as well as the press dogging my heels, it's just not the kind of life I want to live. Besides, I'm sick of eating salads and Taylor is ready to get back to having a life of his own."

Howard chuckled. "Yeah right. That kid's got it made. Do you really think he's ready to have his own face back and give up all the comforts and attention? Until you came along and gave him the job as your double and the opportunity of a lifetime, he had nothing."

"I never intended to do this forever, Howard, even to keep Taylor happy. I initially began this career for the quick money, and later it helped me contribute my part in saving L2."

"Heero Yuy's the reason why you're thinking of quitting now, isn't he?" With a keen eye, Howard noticed a slight pinking of Duo's cheeks.

Shrugging, the braided man answered, "Somehow I can't see Mr. Straight-laced Preventer settling down with a male model. Can you?"

Howard frowned. "What does it matter what your profession is, Duo? I don't think I need to remind you that your choice of job was the very problem that broke the two of you up in the first place. Is he pressuring you about being a Preventer again?

So help me if he is I'll..."

"No, Howard," Duo rushed to interrupt his friend. "He hasn't said anything like that. Listen, we don't have time to debate this. I've got to get these two back to Earth and tucked into a safe place before they wake up."

"All right," Howard surrendered his argument for the moment. "But I have one last word of warning, Duo. You tell Heero that if he ever hits you again I'll send the entire network of Sweepers after him. One of us will pull him out from whatever rock he tries to hide under and I won't be responsible for what happens to him after that."

Duo didn't smile at the comment, knowing by Howard's serious expression that he wasn't kidding. "Glad to know you've got my back, buddy. But honestly, I think I can trust Heero from here on out. He's changed, you know. And it's a good change."

Howard studied him for a long moment, then nodded. "You know best. Now get the hell out of here. I've got a couple of men back at the satellite anxious for news of what's happened without them. I've arranged to intercept one last freighter while Heero's visiting with your friends, making sure the three of you have a solid alibi, just to throw your boyfriend off track. You take care now, you hear me?"

Duo clapped the older man on the shoulder. "Loud and clear, old man. Be safe."

The two friends parted, both with a task to perform. Each man hoped for an end to several years of dedicated risk taking, hoping their lives could finally go back to something resembling normal.

Once the connecter tube between the ships had been detached and secured, the two shuttles drifted apart from each other. Duo entered the cockpit and motioned Abdul to move from the pilot's to the co-pilot's chair. With the engines humming smoothly and the cloaking device activated, he set their course into the navigation computer, taking the Wraith back to Earth. Duo looked up in time to see El Diablo waver before his eyes and then blink out as the stealth unit was activated. "Okay, kiddies. Hold on tight. We're in for a quick and wild ride dirt-side," he called over his shoulder to his slumbering passengers. He then pushed the buttons on the console that shot them forward. Everything was good to go.

*************

Five minutes after delivering the unconscious Preventer into Duo's ship, Howard returned to sit in the cockpit next to Trowa. Believing their roles as marauders were almost over, both men felt more calmer than they had been in a long time. Howard set a course for the satellite, where Trowa would take a single person speed craft back to L4 while he and his men made one more raid and delivery to L2 while waiting for any news regarding the sudden and hopefully unexplainable return of Relena Peacecraft. On the trip back to the resource satellite, the two men talked of Relena and their hope that she would live up to their expectations and immediately set out do something about the blockade, freeing them to return to their own lives. After that, they traveled in quiet contemplation, each man considering how their lives were going to change now that they no longer needed to act as the marauders, desperately trying to save the people of L2. It was a time they both looked forward to, and thankfully, it was only hours away.

TBC

Author's note: Yes you're right, this story is winding down and I'm hoping the last chapter will be posted by the end of this month. Thanks to all who have read and reviewed. You're the best!


	46. Chapter 48

Lies - Between Friends and Lovers  
Dyna Dee  
Chapter 48

Lowering his hand from the ornate gold and pearl inlaid doorbell, Heero waited impatiently within the glow of the entry light, willing the front door to the stately home to open. He was tired and irritated. His flight to L4 had been delayed in Sanq because of bad weather, so here he was, seven hours after the time he'd said he would arrive. Dressed casually in his jeans and white button down shirt, he strove to appear calm and collected, though his mind was less than its orderly self. He tried to shrug off his less than pleasant mood and focus his thoughts on the task at hand, questioning Quatre and Trowa. But his mind kept slipping back to Duo. Their brief time together in the other man's apartment seemed like a dream to him now, but the memory of his lips on Duo's, of his hands roaming that trim and fit body remained. The scent and taste of his lover was seared into his memory and recalling them now left him wanting more. No, not just more, he amended. He wanted all that Duo had to offer, heart, body and forever. He frowned, not able to recall the object of his desire voicing any similar sentiment. Duo obviously enjoyed their time together. He easily recalled the erotic sounds the other man made as he brought him to the heights of passion. But now that he was thinking about it, Duo hadn't said anything that would suggest he had feelings deeper than sexual attraction for him.

Thoughts of Duo scattered the moment the front door opened to reveal Trowa on the other side. "Welcome back," the taller man said in greeting and stepping aside to allow him entrance to his and Quatre's home.

"Thank you," Heero said, stepping inside and shaking Trowa's extended hand. "Is Quatre home?"

"Of course." Trowa shut and locked the front door before motioning Heero to follow him. "Just as you requested. Though we were expecting you several hours ago."

"Weather delays," he explained. He was led to the study, a masculine room where the walls were lined with impressive wood book cases filled with hardbound books that gave the room the pleasing smell of leather, wood and paper. Light from two standing lamps streamed down onto the desk at the far end of the room. Behind it sat Quatre, his eyes fixed on the screen of his laptop. The blond head shifted and blue eyes looked up. Quatre closed his laptop, stood and walked around the desk to warmly greet him, his hand outstretched. "It's good to see you again, Heero. Come, have a seat. Would you like something to eat or drink? We saved you a plate from dinner earlier, thinking you might be hungry when you arrived."

"Perhaps after we've talked," he replied. Heero suddenly realized that he was quite hungry, but he didn't want to be distracted from his reason for being there, especially when his mind was filled with so many unanswered questions and concerns. He probably wouldn't be able to eat anyway, with his stomach feeling like it was tied in a tight knot.

He took one of the two wing-backed chairs while Trowa sat on the front edge of the desk. Quatre took the other chair. Heero thought Trowa's position projected both a relaxing pose as well as a defensive one. He wondered to what lengths the auburn haired man would go to protect his lover, if indeed they were in danger of being arrested for space piracy.

"How was your flight?" the blond asked with a genial smile.

Heero allowed himself a weary sigh. "I'm glad to be off the shuttle. To tell you the truth, I could have docked the spacecraft better with my eyes closed than the pilot did with three crew members."

Quatre nodded his understanding. "That's why we use my private shuttle when we have to fly to Earth. It's difficult giving your life over to someone who might prove to be less competent behind the controls." Then, as if sensing his inner turmoil, the blond's head tilted to the side and his sympathetic smile wilted to a frown. "What's wrong, Heero? You seem troubled."

"As if you didn't know," he answered, more peevishly than he'd intended.

Trowa exchanged a curious look with his lover before turning back to him to say, "Really, Heero. We don't know what you're talking about. It might help if we knew if this was a personal or professional visit."

"Professional. No, personal. Gah." Frustrated, Heero combed his fingers through his unruly hair with one hand while the other gripped the arm of the leather chair. He needed to get his act together and quit thinking about Duo or his personal feelings about the two men he was about to accuse of wrong doing.

After two deep breaths he felt calm enough to proceed and turned his attention back to his friends, who were now looking at him with expressions of worry. Lowering his hand, he shook his head and sighed. "Sorry. I'm a bit... off balance at the moment."

"All right," Quatre said calmly. Then clearly taking charge when he added, "Ask your Preventer questions and then we'll talk off the record."

Heero nodded, then took a deep breath before addressing his friends. All the suspicions and questions that had filled his head on the long shuttle flight now stuck in his throat. How could he accuse them of being the marauders, or at the very least, supporting that group? They were his friends. Yes, he'd been estranged from them for several years, but the bond that had linked the five gundam pilots together during two wars was still there. He knew the others would come to his aid if he found himself in need, so how could he do anything less for them? His conscience waged a brief battle over what was the correct path for him to follow. When no clear solution was reached, he let out the breath he'd been holding and stated, "No, I want to begin off the record." Two pairs of eyes regarded him soberly, waiting for him to start. "Why haven't you launched your own search for Wufei?"

To their credit, neither man gave away their reaction to his sudden question. Quatre answered him as smoothly as he would a question about the time of day. "We decided his disappearance was Preventer business. If we intervened or got in the way, we might hamper the investigation."

Heero first studied Quatre's face and then Trowa's, finding two blank walls revealing nothing at all.

"Rubbish."

"Pardon me?" Quatre asked.

"I can't see either of you sitting idly by if any one of us was in trouble. Do you know what's happened to Wufei?"

Quatre shifted, just slightly, then Trowa replied with a question of his own. "Why do you think we would have any information about his whereabout?"

"Because your knowing what happened to him is the only reason I can come up with for you not getting on one of your shuttles and scouring space for him."

Quatre answered that charge. "Tell me, Heero. Is there any person or organization who might profit by Wufei's disappearance?"

"There are plenty who would "profit" by his disappearance," he scoffed. "He's been instrumental in arresting many criminals, on the planet as well as on the colonies. At the moment, however, there is one particular group that would greatly profit from his disappearance. He was investigating the marauders, as you well know, following hunches and leads, and it's my belief he's been captured and possibly silenced by them."

"Heero," Quatre leaned forward to put a hand on his arm, "Wufei is one of the most capable people I know. I might not have run off in my shuttle to scour space for him, but I have put out feelers. I've heard nothing yet, but if he is in trouble, I have no doubt he can successfully extricate himself from the situation. Of course Trowa and I are concerned that he's missing, but I haven't lost my faith in his abilities. For all we know he could have gone undercover and just hasn't been able to make contact yet."

"This whole situation doesn't sit right with me," Heero said, frowning. He had no proof that his friends were involved with the marauders, and if they were, he wasn't sure he wanted to know. Still, his logical mind and training urged for him to keep pressing his friends for information. Under pressure, most men gave up some information. "My intuition tells me that Duo might be involved with the marauders. He argues passionately on the side of his former colony even though he hates the place, and I can only assume you know about his double." He paused to see a nod from both men. "Why didn't you tell me about him earlier? You know it only makes him more suspect."

Quatre leaned back in his chair and looked at him curiously. "And why is that, Heero? Taylor came into Duo's life before the sanctions on L2 were put in place. Taylor strongly resembled Duo, and with a little cosmetic surgery he solved the P.R. problems our friend was experiencing. The arrangement has proved to be beneficial to both of them. Duo has someone to go to the events he dislikes and Taylor was given a way off L2 and a better quality of life."

"It's highly suspicious that Duo has someone in his employ who can act as a perfect alibi for any illegal activities he might be committing."

Trowa frowned. "You suspect Duo has nothing better to do with his time than sneak away from his very successful life and penthouse to break the law? To what purpose, Heero? He makes a lot of money and lives quite comfortably. Why would he jeopardize his security?"

Heero raked his fingers through his hair. "For the same reason I suspect you and Quatre might be involved. Money was never very important to Duo, and he's even told me he models for the easy money to support several charities. He's got a big heart and a lingering case of survivor's guilt. Lending a helping hand to those in need isn't anything new for him. Duo told me, during the war, that the reason he fought was to save someone else from having to. I can't help but wonder if his empathy hasn't extended to the entire L2 colony."

"Yes, Duo is magnanimous when it comes to those who have nothing," Quatre agreed. "But we also know he doesn't lie. He said he would never set foot on L2 again, and I know for a fact that he hasn't."

Tilting his head back against the chair and momentarily closing his eyes, feeling weary and conflicted, Heero let out yet another frustrated sigh. "I just don't know what to think," he admitted. "With Wufei missing, Duo having a double and no information leading to the marauders, Relena or Wufei, I feel like I'm running in circles. I don't want to suspect any of you, but there are too many questioning variables to simply dismiss the fact that the three of you could be tangled up in this... mess."

"Why us?" Quatre persisted. "Everyone in space knows about L2's suffering, and I'm not the only wealthy individual in space who cares about what happens out here. Do you truly believe I'm the only person of means who wants to see L2 saved?" Quatre leaned forward, his face as serious as Heero had ever seen. "Just like in the war, what happens to one colony can happen to another. The colonies are uniquely different from each others, but they're still the same regardless of their economic success. All colonists have been, at one time or another, at the mercy of Earth, subjected to its politics and economics. No one has openly rushed to L2's aid for fear of having similar sanctions levied against their own colony in retaliation. Who would want to risk systematic starvation by openly opposing the UEC?"

Heero continued to observe his friends while Quatre spoke. Both men appeared calm, and yet he sensed an underlying wariness in them as well as a hint of displeasure caused by his assumptions. Together they presented a resolute, united front. But were they hiding something from him, or was he simply being overly suspicious of everyone, looking for motive and suspect at every turn? "The marauders have a stealth ship," he stated, "and there are only a couple of people I know of who have the technical knowledge and ability to build such a system: Howard, Duo and a couple of Sweepers that crewed with Howard before the war. Though Howard and Duo are anything but poor, they don't have the monetary resources to build a ship and stealth system. You are the one person both Duo and Howard know who has the financial means to sponsor the building of both."

Quatre's face was as serious as he'd ever seen as he began to lay out his defense. "As I said before, I'm hardly the only person on the colonies who's wealthy, Heero. Nor am I the only person of means who wants to help our sister colony. While it's true that Sandrock was paid for solely by my trust fund, as was the Zero system, do you know who funded the building of Wing? What about the other gundams? Surely Deikum Barton didn't pay for all of them on his own, there had to be others. And who's to say these "others" aren't conducting the raids to help L2 and thumbing their noses at the UEC at the same time? Tell me straight, Heero, what hard evidence do you have that suggest Trowa, Duo and I are the marauders? You can line up all your suspicions in a neat little row, but it doesn't mean you've got the truth. Wasn't Duo with you when the marauders attacked a freighter? I can vouch for Trowa and give you evidence that I was here on L4 when the attacks occurred. If you're willing to accuse and possibly arrest us on your suspicions alone, you're not only going to have a hard time prosecuting us, but you're also going to risk losing us as your friends."

All the conjecturing that had pointed to his friends and lover being involved as marauders seemed less substantial than when he'd walked through the door. It had all made sense when he'd thought it out on the shuttle. Duo's association with Howard plus their sympathy for those on L2 and the ability to achieve what he suspected the marauders of doing had him believing his friends were indeed culpable.

While still trying to reason things out in his mind, Quatre continued. "Your logic doesn't make sense to me, Heero. If I decided to break the law in order to help L2, why wouldn't I do it on my own? Why would I steal from freighters instead of just purchasing whatever I needed and shipping it there?"

"To lead Preventers in a different direction, I suspect, and thereby drawing suspicion away from you and Trowa," Heero answered, though his tone was noticeably less aggressive than it had earlier. "As to who financed my gundam, I knew it wasn't J. He had at least one benefactor that he answered to, although I was never told who that person was." And the truth was that he'd never questioned his orders when he was under J's care. Whatever secrets his mentor and his colleagues had, they took with them when to their graves. "I know you well enough to believe that if Duo wanted to do something about the situation on L2, he would turn to you, knowing you've got an equally sympathetic heart."

"Quatre might have been willing to help, had we been asked," Trowa added. "But we don't have the knowledge to build a stealth ship. And as he stated before, there was a large crew of men who worked with Howard when he developed the system. Anyone of them could be responsible for duplicating it for their own use."

With a disbelieving huff Heero asked, "Do you honestly expect me to believe that not having the knowledge of a stealth system would be an obstacle if you decided to build one? How do I know you didn't hire one of Howard's former crew to build the system and ship?"

"Just don't narrow your list of suspects too soon, Heero," Quatre said, ignoring the Preventer's previous question. "If you focus your attention on us, you might let the real perpetrators slip by."

"Are you telling me you're innocent?"

Trowa was quick to answer, "We are innocent of causing harm to anyone. We follow our consciences, just as we did during the war."

Heero rubbed his forehead, where an ache began to form behind his eyes. "I'm not going to get a straight answer out of either of you, am I?" The blond and brunet refrained from answering, only offering an apologetic smile to their weary friend.

"All right. Still on the record," the Preventer stated, knowing he had to ask his friends outright about what they knew. "Are you in any way involved in the raids taking place here in space?"

"No." Quatre's facial expression remained neutral.

"Do you know where Wufei is?"

"No."

"Is Duo involved?"

"No."

"Are you telling me the truth?"

"Truth is subjective, don't you think?" This time it was Trowa who answered, wearing an inscrutable grin.

"Off the record." Heero gave the two a look of disapproval and thinking this was the absolutely worst session of questioning suspects he'd ever conducted. "If you are involved and lying to me, as I suspect you are, I hope you've covered your tracks well because I sure as hell don't want to haul your asses into court. _Don't_ make me do it!" he warned. "And if I find out that you've involved Duo in this, you better find a deep dark hole to climb into and bury yourselves. The thought of losing him again is unbearable."

A looked passed between the two partners, communicating some message that was beyond Heero's ability to read. The blond then turned his attention back to him. "Your lack of trust in us is disturbing, Heero. But I'll look past it, assuming it's become second nature to you as a Preventer. And speaking of Duo," he continued with a steady gaze. "How are things between the two of you? He's told me you've kissed and made up."

Realizing Quatre had changed the subject because his questions were close to stepping over the line of no return regarding their friendship, he answered the question. "Our relationship is... progressing nicely, despite my shock in learning about Taylor," Heero answered and then cleared his throat. The change of topic, though a bit too personal, was welcomed after he'd more or less threatened them.

In contrast to Quatre's smile, Trowa was now frowning. In his quiet and deceptively soft tone of voice he said, "As I've indicated before, Heero, you've got a second chance to recapture what you once had with him, Heero," the tall and slender young man stated, his green eyes boring into his own. "But if you ever hurt him, emotionally or physically, you're as good as dead. I won't let anyone dissuade me from retaliating should he come to any harm."

Knowing Trowa didn't make threats lightly, Heero acknowledged the seriousness of his warning by simply replying, "Understood, but I've already received a similar warning from Quatre." An awkward moment passed, and he sensed the other two were waiting for him to say something or dictate where the conversation would go next. He decided that talking about Duo was probably not wise, seeing how protective the two men were of his lover.

His cell phone chimed. He detached if from the clip on his belt, flipped it open and saw that Director Une was calling. "Excuse me," he said, rising from his chair and hastily exiting the room.

He returned five minutes later, a frown on his face. "Something wrong, Heero?" Quatre asked as he stood next to Trowa, still perched on the edge of the desk. The blond placed his hand on his lover's shoulder and waited for the Preventer to answer.

"There was another freighter boarded by the marauders less than an hour ago." His eyes shifted from the brunet to the blond and back again as he added, "The fact that you're here clears the both of you from being involved since you can't be in two places at once." Heero carefully watched for their reaction, thinking he'd see a look of relief passing between the two men. But they simply nodded their heads, almost comically in unison, and waited for him to continue. "I have one last question to ask." Having retained their attention, he continued. Addressing Quatre he asked, "Can you sense Wufei? Can you tell if he's all right or even alive?"

Closing his eyes, the blond man, known for his ability to sense others, became very still. His pale eyebrows pinched together as he concentrated on sensing the Chinese man. After several moments, he opened his blue eyes once more and looked to Heero as he replied, "I can't feel much, probably because he's too far away, but I know without a doubt that he's alive. I didn't sense any alarm or distress, so I can only conclude that he's well."

"Can you tell where he is or if he's in trouble?"

Quatre shook his head. "No. I'm sorry. He must be pretty far away."

Some of the tension in Heero's shoulders eased slightly. "At least we know he's alive. Thank you."

"Have you finished asking your questions?" Trowa inquired. "We could have that meal warmed up for you now."

"I'd appreciate that."

Quatre offered a gentle smile. "You look tired, Heero. Unless you have to interview the crew of the ship that was overtaken, I have the guest room ready, if you'd like to stay the night."

He took a moment to debate whether or not his staying would compromise his investigation. In the end, he was too tired to contemplate going to the effort of getting a hotel room. "Thank you, I'd like to stay. Une is having the Preventers on L3 interview them, since they've docked there."

Trowa walked calmly from the room, most likely going to heat the offered meal. Looking at his watch, he calculated the time difference from Earth. "Do you mind if I make a quick call before I eat?"

"Of course not," the blond smiled. "Feel free to use the vid phone in your room, if you want some privacy. Come, I'll take you."

"No, I'll take him up," Trowa said as he re-entered the room. With a brief look to Quatre he said, "Finish your work so we can enjoy the evening together."

"I'm almost done," Quatre answered, resuming his seat behind the desk while his lover led Heero from the room. But just as they reached the door, the blond called out one parting request. "Say hello to Duo for me."

Walking shoulder to shoulder down the hallway towards the stairs, Trowa said with a trace of concern in his voice, "Quatre always brings work home from the office. I wish he would relax a bit more and enjoy what little time we have together."

"Does he ever take a vacation?"

They began to climb the wide staircase when Trowa answered. "I make him take at least one week every year. We used to get away more often, but his family's business is demanding of both his time and talents. We haven't been away for almost two years now, and that was a trip to the Caiman Islands where Duo was on a photo shoot." A wistful tone accompanied the tall brunet's words as he added, "It was wonderful. We spent that week at the beach and pool, and our nights with Duo, having dinner and visiting nightclubs."

Now that Duo had been brought up in the conversation, Heero felt a bit more at ease about discussing the American. "Duo doesn't talk much about his life. He tells me he has lived a rather tame existence for the past couple of years, but that's certainly contrary to what I've read in the gossip columns."

Trowa's laughter surprised him. "You know better than to believe those rag magazines. Sure, Duo, and Taylor posing as Duo, has gone out with a lot of notable people, but he's only been discreetly involved with a couple of men, and those were fleeting, born out of loneliness rather than any deeper feelings. I think we both know that Duo's heart was never free to give away." Trowa visibly sobered as they entered. "What about you, Heero? Did you have any meaningful relationships after Duo left?"

It didn't take more than a single breath for him to think about his answer. "No. I never felt for anyone the way I felt for Duo, or still feel about him."

Trowa clasped him on the shoulder. "Then I can only wish you and Duo the best. Don't blow it, Heero, because this is probably your last chance with him."

Heero nodded, having already come to that conclusion himself. _No matter what happens, whatever Duo has or hasn't done, I won't mess this up,_ he vowed to himself as Trowa left him alone in the room to make his call.

TBC


	47. Chapter 49

**Lies Between Friends and Lovers  
Chapter 49**

Relena felt as if she were clawing her way out of a deep and dreamless abyss, heeding some internal warning that something was amiss. Her eyelids felt as if they were weighted down and wondered why it was so difficult to wake up. Then a feeling of de'ja vu flowed into her dulled mind. She had felt this way before, when she... The memory of waking up in a grungy apartment on L2 jerked her awake faster than a cold bucket of water could have. Forcing her eyes open, it took several moments and a lot of blinking for her vision to clear. She found herself lying on an honest to goodness bed in a relatively dark room. There was just enough light from the curtained window for her to confirm that she was definitely not in the room she shared with her four L2 roommates. Taking a deep breath she found, to her delight, the air was clean and sweet, and the pillow beneath her head held the faint floral scent. Never in her life had she thought the smell of detergent so wonderful.

She had no memory of where she was or how she'd gotten there, but was almost certain she was no longer on L2.

She turned her head at a slight sound behind her. Looking over her shoulder she was startled to find she was not alone. Cautiously moving to get a better view, she peered a bit closer at the unmoving person and realized the man resting next to her was none other than former gundam pilot, Wufei Chang.

She blinked, not believing what she was seeing, and spent several stupefied moments just staring at the man, desperately trying to recall how the both of them came to not only be in the same room, but also sharing a bed together. No matter how hard she searched her memory, there was simply no accounting for her current situation. Taking a deep breath, she willed her racing heart to calm down.

Needing another moment to herself, she decided not to disturb Mr. Chang just yet. She studied his face, which was unusually quite tranquil in sleep. She had always wondered why the former Shenlong pilot often wore a stern, disapproving expression on his face. Perhaps it was his way to discourage others from trying to get to know him better. He certainly was handsome, she decided, especially with that shiny black hair free from the ponytail that always held it back. Why had she never realized how handsome he was before? She considered that question for a moment and came to the conclusion that his eyebrows might be the reason why. He had a way of lowering them to show his displeasure or disdain, expressions she thought most effective in keeping others at bay. And when he lifted one eyebrow, well, he could make even the Queen of England feel small and inconsequential.

Though she'd been told the former gundam pilots were about the same age as herself, save Trowa Barton who, apparently, was a year or two older than the others, they had always seemed older to her. There was something in the eyes of those five that hinted of a maturity that came from having grown up much too quickly. Without a doubt the wars had taken a toll on the boys who had fought for a common goal: freedom for the space colonies. And now gazing thoughtfully at the Chinese man, Relena didn't think she'd ever seen him smile and wondered what it would take to accomplish such a feat.

Realizing that she was wool gathering, she slowly eased herself into a sitting position and waited until the initial dizziness passed. Taking another deep breath, she once again relished the sweetness of clean air. With her head clearing quickly now, her curiosity was kicking into gear. Where was she?

Taking a closer look at the space around her, she came to the conclusion that she was in a hotel room. With the curtains closed, there was no indication as to her location or even if she was in space or on Earth. Putting her feet on the carpeted floor, she struggled for a moment to stand without wavering. Her legs felt like rubber when she put her full weight on them, but she stubbornly persevered by carefully moving towards the small table to the left of the bed, determined to solve at least one piece of the puzzle.

Reaching the table, she felt quite accomplished as she gripped its edges. Leaning towards the phone, she glanced at the notepad and pen next to it. Printed on the top edge of the paper was the name of the hotel, Los Arboles. The address below indicated they were in Los Cruses, Mexico. She paused, feeling stunned at finding herself in yet another unexpected location. She held onto the furniture as she moved the short distance towards the window and lifted the edged of heavy curtains open, squinting as bright sunlight spilled into the room. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the bright light, and when they did she gazed out onto the street below. People with brown skin and dark hair were casually walking by, dressed in clean clothing and having enough weight on their bones to signify they had regular meals. Her smiled couldn't be contained after the realization sunk in that she truly was back on Earth, and apparently in Mexico.

Turning, she returned to the phone on the table but hesitated before picking up the receiver. Who should she call? For a moment she worried about her inability to speak Spanish. What if the hotel clerk was able to understand her request because she couldn't speak more than a word or two of Spanish?

Gazing over her shoulder at the man sleeping on the bed, she decided it was time to find out what Mr. Chang was doing there. With any luck Mr. Preventer would know what to do. Returning to the bed, she leaned over and gently cupped Wufei's shoulder and gave it a tenuous shake.

"Agent Chang," she called out softly. The man didn't respond immediately, causing her to wonder if he'd been drugged as well. "Wake up!" she called out a bit louder, her shake becoming a bit more forceful.

Thankfully, the black eyelashes began to flutter as the Preventer's eyes struggled to open. When at last he managed the monumental feat, his dark eyes appeared unfocused as they turned to her. At first there was no sign of recognition on his face, but then those impossibly dark eyes widened and Wufei quickly sat up, his head turning as he performed a quick visual search of the room. "Relena?" he asked, finally acknowledging her but still obviously confused. "Where are we and what the hell is going on?" His question sounded more like a demand for answers.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Relena answered, "From what I can tell, we're back on Earth. In Mexico, actually,"

Wufei seemed better able to focus with every minute that passed. "Mexico?" He gave her a quick assessing glance, from head to toe, before asking, "Are you all right?"

"Frankly, I'm starving, but otherwise I'm well enough, thank you. What about you, Agent Chang? Are you well? And what, if I may ask, are you doing here?"

Wufei frowned as he replied, "I'm feeling a bit disoriented, but generally unharmed. I've no answer yet for how you and I happen to find ourselves in each other's company." Rubbing his temples in an attempt to clear his mind, he added, "The last thing I recall was leaving L3 to do some surveillance work on a case. I was outside quadrant three shipping lanes when an alarm sounded with some kind of system failure, and the shields were falling. After that my memory is kind of a blur."

Those dark eyes began studying the room once more, and after a moment he asked in a small voice, "Are we being observed?"

Relena stiffened. She hadn't thought of that. "I don't know," she whispered back and looked around the room warily. "I only woke up moments before you did and didn't think to check for surveillance equipment."

With a hand held up to silence her from speaking further, Wufei rose to his feet. He wobbled a moment before getting his balance. Then moving cautiously and in a methodical manner, he searched every inch of the room, checking for any listening devices or hidden cameras. He then disappeared into the bathroom, turning on the light and fan with one flip of a switch before closing the door behind him. He remained in there for several long minutes, and just as she was beginning to wonder what he was doing and if he was all right, she heard the toilet flushing followed by the running of tap water. Wufei exited the room and asked her if she needed to use the facilities. With a blush of embarrassment, she nodded, then sidestepped around him in order to slip into the bathroom and close the door.

Exiting the bathroom several a short time later, she felt much better now that she'd relieved her bladder and washed up a bit. She'd give anything to be free of the old and smelly clothes she's worn since the morning she work up for the first time on L2. Wufei was sitting at the small table next to the open window and turned his head as she approached him. Those intimidating dark eyebrows were drawn down once more as the Preventer began to evaluate their situation. "Where have you been during the last couple of weeks, Ms. Peacecraft? Did you leave Sanq on your own, or were you abducted?"

"Are you asking in an official capacity, Mr. Chang?" If he was going to be so formal, she would return the favor.

He nodded. "Heero was assigned as the lead investigator on your case, with me, your brother and his wife as backup. While I was in space investigating the marauders, he kept me apprized of any progress, which was very little. You basically disappeared with no clue as to who took you or the reason for the abduction. I assume that because the both of us woke up here together, we were taken and delivered back to Earth by the same group or individual. Because I have little to no memory about what happened to me, I might learn more by hearing your story."

Relena thought that made sense, but she had to clear something up before she told her story. "I didn't run away," she stated firmly, looking directly into the eyes of the man across from her. She was a bit hurt that Milliardo had even entertained the idea that she would do something more callous and heartless. "And both Heero and my brother should have known I would never do something like that. I was abducted. I never saw my kidnaper, nor the means by which I was transported. My last memory was of being accosted from behind on the streets of Sanq. I woke up in an apartment on L2. At least two of the people I met there knew who I was, but I was told I would be treated like everyone else, without any preferential treatment. True to their word, I lived like every other citizen of L2."

Wufei's frown deepened. "L2," he said thoughtfully. "Of course we never thought to look there." For a moment Wufei looked distracted, as if he were trying to figure out a puzzle. There was obviously something else going on in the Preventer's mind, but when he looked up, he was once again focused. "Trowa and I visited L2 not long ago."

Relena's eyes widened. "I saw him," she announced. "I overheard there were Preventers coming and escaped the apartment only to be recaptured again, but not until I caught a glimpse of Mr. Barton."

That little bit of information didn't seem to make the Preventer any happier. "Did you speak with him?"

"No, I was caught and prevented from pursuing him any further." Curious, she asked, "Obviously, I don't know what happened while I was gone. Was there a ransom paid, or some kind of an agreement reached that released me?"

"I was told there were no demands made for a ransom as a requirement for your return, though something could have happened while I was out of contact with headquarters. We didn't know whether or not you'd left on your own and something had happened, or if you had been abducted."

Relena shook her head, an unhappy frown on her pretty face. "Heero and Milliardo warned me about taking off on my own," she said with no small amount of disgust aimed at herself. Then with a frustrated huff she added, "I know it sounds pathetically whiney, but there are times when I can't take the protective isolation that is necessary because of my official duties and social station. Sometimes I just want shuck all my responsibilities and be like everyone else, free to go walk to the store on my own and purchase something as simple as a candy bar, or go to a movie or stroll in the park with a friend without having to disguise myself or have a bodyguard shadowing me or having to duck behind a bush to avoid a camera."

Wufei didn't appear overly sympathetic as he replied, "You could have disappeared from the public eye after the wars, but you freely chose to take a prominent position in the government. You must have known the consequences."

Though Wufei's comment seemed blunt, Relena detected no judgment in his voice. "I never thought about the public attention I would receive when I took on the role of peacekeeper during the war, hunting down those who killed my father and then trying to keep my brother from being a mass murderer. I really don't think I truly influenced anyone back then, like Heero did. He was so brave." She paused to chuckle, "And he was relentless in accomplishing what he set out to do. His actions and dogged determination changed me, my brother and who knows how many other people. I wanted to be like him and, like my biological and adopted fathers, make a difference in the lives of others. That's the reason I became involved in politics."

"All success comes at a price."

She sighed, knowing it was true. "I suppose a lack of privacy and personal freedom is a small price to pay for any good I might accomplish," she acknowledged. "But now I've found a cause and a group of people who are desperately depending on me to draw on all my abilities and influence to rectify an unjust wrong."

"L2?"

She stepped close enough to the Preventer to place her hand on his arm, her sincerity shining clearly in her blue eyes. "I lived with them, Wufei. Suffered hunger and thirst and depravation just as they did. The colony isn't populated with just criminals, thugs or gang members as we were led to believe, though I'm sure there are still a few of those here and there. The majority of the people I saw were men, women and children who are merely fighting to stay alive. It sickens me to think what would have happened to them if some unnamed group of good Samaritans hadn't jumped the blockade to feed them."

Wufei's eyebrows rose questioningly. "You know of the marauders? Did they speak of them?"

Relena frowned as she tried to recall what she'd learned about the Guardians while on L2. "I was told a group called The Guardians visits the colony at least once a week, supplying the majority of the colony's food and necessities because the UEC's provisions for emergency relief were deplorably insufficient. Without the outside help, the people of L2 would have perished long ago. If these Guardians are indeed the marauders, which I suspect they are, they should be commended for their actions despite defying the UEC's sanctions."

"Perhaps," Wufei replied. "But that's not my judgment to make. If they are ever found and apprehended, it will be up to the courts to decide whether or not they broke any laws and if such actions were justified." Then turning to face the young woman he added in a softer manner, "I also saw the suffering on L2 during the fact-finding assignment that took me there a few weeks ago. The report I gave to Director Une outlined in detail the atrocious conditions there and included photographs I took of the emaciated citizens. I don't know if the evidence was passed onto government officials by Une or not, but I doubt anything has changed because of it."

"So that's why you were on L2? And Trowa Barton was with you?" she asked.

"Yes, we were there together looking for evidence on the marauders, suspecting that L2 was the reason for the raids on space freighters for the past several years."

"When I overheard something about Preventers being on the colony I had hoped to find them and identify myself. I saw Trowa just before he entered the shuttle terminal and called out to him just as I was overtaken by a guardian. He looked my way, but didn't seem to recognize me, and I can hardly blame him." She motioned to her second-hand, poor fitting clothing. "I hardly looked like the Princess of Sanq."

Wufei was frowning. "You're sure he saw you?"

"He turned my way when I called out, but as I said, I'm fairly certain he didn't recognize me. I'm sure L2 was the last place anyone thought I'd be."

The disturbed look on the man's face faded as he regarded her once more. "Do you intend to do something about the blockade, to help the people of L2?"

"Yes," she answered in a firm, decisive manner. "I'm going to do everything I can to lift the embargo and see that humanitarian aide, enough food and drink for everyone, is delivered as soon as possible. And then I'll call for a full investigation into why there has been no follow up and why the colony was given so little to exist on and then left to die."

Their conversation lulled for a moment before Relena glanced out the window and said, "I suppose we should find out if we're being held prisoner here or if we've truly been freed. And if that's the case, we need to contact someone to tell there where we are. I don't have an ID or passport, so leaving this country might be a bit difficult to achieve on our own."

Wufei promptly reached for the phone, picked it up and dialed 0, obviously hoping to reach the front desk. Relena listened as he spoke English to someone on the other line and asked for a call to be placed to Preventers Headquarters in Sanq.

*********************************

Feeling much better after having showered, despite having to put the shabby clothing back on, Relena pushed away the remainder of the breakfast that had been delivered to their room. She was surprised to see how little she'd eaten and how full she felt. Having been half starved for nearly a month had obviously caused her stomach to shrink. Her companion, however, had no such problem and devoured his breakfast to the last crumb. After determining that they were indeed free of their captors, they'd been advised by Director Une, more than an hour ago, to stay in the hotel room until help arrived. Since then, no one other than room service had knocked on their door.

At the two hour mark the anticipated knock came, and two uniformed Preventers entered the room after Wufei opened the door. A tall, strikingly handsome yet serious man in his forties, with dark eyes and black hair, introduced himself in a strong Spanish accent as Captain Estrada. He introduced his partner as Lieutenant Otero, a younger man with a light complexion, brown hair and a more pleasant demeanor. Together, the two officers promptly escorted the recovered missing persons to the local airport where a helicopter was waiting to deliver them to Preventer headquarters in Mexico City.

Milliardo had been alerted earlier that both Relena and Wufei had been found, unharmed and relatively healthy. When at last the brother and sister were able to speak with each other, Milliardo was unusually emotional as he expressed his relief at her being safe, then promptly scolded his little sister for breaking security and putting herself at risk. He and Lucretia listened over the speaker phone as Relena and then Wufei each gave their own account of what had happened to them during the time they had been missing. Wufei was charged with returning to Sanq with Relena, where a full account of their experiences would be recorded and used as evidence in the event the culprits were arrested and brought to justice.

The flight back to Sanq was achieved in a private jet arranged by her brother. Despite the luxury of their conveyance, the journey proved to be long and tedious. Relena spent the majority of the time jotting down her memories of L2 in a notebook, as well as ideas for the speech she intended to deliver to the press and UEC, demanding they lift the blockade. Wufei sat silently, keeping his thoughts to himself while gazing out the window at large white clouds they passed over the ocean far below. Every so often, she would glance up and ask him if he were all right. The Chinese man would pause from his contemplations to look at her, offer a brief smile and nod his head in answer to her query. There was something about that small, infinitesimal smile that appealed to her, and even though it was a rare and fleeting thing, it left her feeling pleased each time he gave it to her.

He has a pleasant smile, she thought, and its appearance made him all the more attractive to her. She'd like to see it again. Though she'd never had much of an opportunity to become acquainted with the Chinese man, and would have enjoyed conversing with him in order to get to know him better, she sensed that he wished to be alone with his thoughts. What was he thinking? Maybe one day in the future, if she were lucky, she would ask him, and maybe he would tell her. With that in mind she returned to the task ahead of her, which meant going over her notes and composing the speech she would give once she returned to Sanq. And then a thought came to her. "Wufei?" She waited until she had his attention once more. "Those pictures you took while on L2, do you happen to have any copies you can get your hands on once we land?"

TBC

Author note: Thanks again to those reading along. We're getting close to the end now, but I'm not going to meet my goal of having this finished by the end of the month. Hopefully Lies will conclude before I leave for vacation in... 14 days! ^_^ A gigantic hug to Louise and congratulations for the bundle of joy that's on its way. I'm so excited for you.


	48. Chapter 50

**Lies Between Friends and Lovers  
Chapter 50**

Heero

Once again, Duo was away from his phone when he called. The taped message informed callers that he'd be home shortly. Heero left a simple message, asking his long-haired lover to call when he got in and that he was presently at Quatre and Trowa's. He went back down to the dining room and found Trowa there with a plate of warm food. The auburn haired man kept him company, sipping a glass of wine while he ate the delicious meal. Feeling quite weary from all the traveling he'd been doing, he excused himself and retired to his room shortly after finishing his supper. Taking five minutes to prepare for bed, he gratefully slid between the cool cotton sheets and fell into an exhausted sleep.

He woke with a start when his cell phone went off. Rubbing his eyes, he reached for the phone on the bedside table and squinting he tried to read the ID, hoping it was Duo returning his call. He was disappointed when his vision cleared enough for him to see Director Une's number once again on the display.

Hitting the talk button, he put the device to his ear. "Yuy."

"We've received a call from Mexico. Relena and Wufei have been found."

"Together?" Heero's mind struggled to make sense of this information. Having the two missing people show up at the same time was the last thing he'd expected, though the news was welcome. "Are they all right?"

"Yes. They told me themselves that they're fine. I haven't all the details yet, but a unit from Mexico City is en route to their destination as we speak. They'll escort the both of them to our headquarters there and then to the airport where Milliardo has arranged for a private jet to fly them back to Sanq."

"Do you want me to return to Earth or continue to pursue the marauders here in space?" He mentally crossed his fingers, hoping that he would be reassigned to Earth. He wanted to make sure for himself that Relena and Wufei were well, and maybe grab another day or two with Duo.

"Return to Earth. I'm hoping Wufei will be able to tell us about his abductors and give us some new leads."

"Was it the marauders who kidnaped him? What about Relena? Can she identify her abductors? It would seem by their reappearance together that their kidnappers are one and the same."

"The marauders seem the most logical suspects since Wufei was trying to track them down when he disappeared, but we shouldn't come to any conclusions until we have their statements."

"I'll catch the next available flight."

"I'll have my secretary arrange that for you and text you the flight number and when you need to be at the terminal, hopefully within the next couple of hours. With luck I'll see you tomorrow afternoon."

The call ended and Heero closed his phone and got out of bed, much too alert now to go back to sleep. Before leaving the room, he slipped on the same pair of pants and T-shirt he'd worn earlier. The house was dark and still, indicating that the hour was late and his hosts had retired to their own room for the night. He moved with the aid of the light streaming through his doorway towards the door of Quatre and Trowa's bedroom. He knocked and waited, hearing low voices coming from within. The door cracked open and Trowa's messy-haired head appeared.

"Wufei and Relena have turned up in Mexico. They're on their way back to Sanq, apparently safe and sound."

"That's wonderful," Quatre's voice rang out from behind Trowa, and suddenly the taller man was pushed aside and the blond took his place, a bright smile on his face.

Heero couldn't help but notice the expanse of pale skin and realized Quatre was standing before him without a stitch of clothing on. He felt his face heat up, thinking he'd probably interrupted them.

"Quatre." Trowa's tone of voice was humorous with a hint of a warning that immediately caught the excited blond's attention. The smaller man quickly moved behind the door to hide his naked state.

"Sorry, Heero," chuckled the blond who also blushed with embarrassment. "I guess I got caught up in the excitement of hearing both Relena and Wufei are safe."

"Don't worry about it," he said, though the thought flashed in his mind that Duo would get a laugh out of his retelling of this awkward moment.

"Have you told Duo yet?" Trowa's voice came from somewhere behind the door. Heero couldn't help but wonder if the man was a mind reader.

"Not yet. I tried to call him earlier but he wasn't home. I'll try again in a bit. Une's booking me passage back to Earth, so I'll be leaving here shortly. Thank you again for your hospitality."

"It's been our pleasure to have you here, Heero. You know you're always welcome." Quatre was always the polite host, Heero thought, even when naked and peeking around his bedroom door. Then suddenly, the blond jerked back, emitting something akin to a manly giggle. Heero could only suppose that Trowa was tickling him. "I'll try to clear my schedule and maybe we can all get together in the next couple of weeks."

"Sounds good. I'll be in touch." With a slight grin, Heero turned and walked back to his bedroom, his smile lingering as the door behind him quickly shut and a few bumps and muffled laughter from two doors away leaked out into the hallway.

Duo still wasn't home when he tried calling again a half hour later. He paused to consider the timing. He could simply dismiss his lover not answering his phone to the fact that it was midday in New York City. Duo might be at work or the gym, at a shoot or possibly up to something he didn't want him to know about. His excitement over Wufei and Relena's return suddenly fell flat. At the beep, he reluctantly left yet another message, asking Duo to call if he received this message within the next hour, before he boarded the shuttle that would take him back to Earth. Knowing that communicating, in any form, was difficult if not impossible on shuttle flights, he promised to call again once he landed.

He was disappointed and only slightly concerned at not having a chance to talk to his lover. He missed Duo and ached to hold him again, to capture those slightly up-turned lips, to steal his breath away and cause his luscious body to arch with pleasure into his embrace. Damning the distance that separated them, he was more determined than ever to find a solution to the problem of their living an ocean apart. He wanted Duo by his side, and if that happened he would do everything in his power to keep him there, happy and content. Duo would never have any regrets about letting him back into his life.

With those pleasant goals floating through his mind, he moved into the bathroom to take a quick shower, shave, if he had time, and get ready for his flight.

***************************

"The last thing I remember is taking the ship I'd rented to an area of space I thought the marauders might be using, paralleling normal travel routes, when my systems shut down. A warning light came on, but anything that happened after that is somewhat of a distorted blur," Wufei stated. "My ship must have been disabled by some type of audio transmission and then I was most likely rendered unconscious by some airborne sedative, because I don't remember seeing anything unusual or my ship being boarded. Someone obviously took me out of there, but I have no memory of where I was taken or how I was returned to Earth. The only person I encountered was Relena, and that was when I woke up in the hotel room in Mexico."

Director Une leaned back in her chair, frowning at one of her top agents while contemplating his statement. "I'm disappointed that you have so little information regarding your abduction, Wufei. We had hoped at the very least to identify something about your abduction that would point to the marauders."

"I'm sorry," the Chinese agent replied, his face reflecting the seriousness of the situation. "If I could remember anything, you know I'd have included it in my report."

"Of course," the frowning woman answered. "It's unfortunate that Relena can't recalls her abductors either, or anything about being returned to Earth. Your abductions are obviously connected, seeing that you were returned together."

"Safely and unharmed," he added.

She looked at him with an unwavering gaze, studying him for a clue as to what was going on in the young man's head. "Her account of L2 is chilling, to say the least, and matches up very well with your own report," she continued. "She's seeing a physician now, and I would suggest you visit Sally in the medical room today. Whatever caused your lapse in memory might have long-term effects."

The last thing Wufei wanted was for Sally to examine him, since she'd find evidence of the bullet wound he'd received on his one and only run with Howard and his men. He'd make excuses for not seeing her for as long as possible, then claim he was just too busy for a complete physical, which he knew the good doctor would insist on. Before he could reply, the director's intercom buzzed.

She leaned forward and hit the button that activated her end of the box. "Yes, Violet?"

"I was just informed that Miss Peacecraft is holding a press conference on live television and all the major networks are present."

"Damn," Une said just under her breath. "Thank you, Violet." She released the button once more, then opened the top drawer of her desk and pulled out a remote. As they waited for the flat screen television to lift from the cabinet to her right, she stood from her desk to sit on the edge in order to see the screen better. "I wanted to speak to her about what comments she planned on to giving to the press. I don't want her to give away anything pertinent about our investigations."

"With as little information we have on her abduction or these marauders, I can't see that anything she says will have any negative effect on our investigation." Wufei looked away from the disapproving expression on the Director's face, and turned his concentration on the black screen that blinked twice before coming into focus an instant later. The moving line of writing on the bottom of the screen indicated they were watching a live news feed of Relena's speech. The recognizable young woman stood behind a pale wood podium, a large white surface behind her. She was already in the process of addressing her audience. At first glance, Wufei could tell she had changed from the ill-fitting clothing she'd worn earlier that day. She now wore a simple white blouse which was partially covered by a soft gray sweater. Her hair was washed and softly curled as it fell about her shoulders, and though she was pale and her face thin with the loss of weight, Wufei acknowledged to himself that she was an attractive woman and was impressed that she appeared as poised and confident as ever in spite of her recent experiences.

"The conditions on L2 were deplorable and, in my opinion, completely unnecessary," she said with an expression that denoted the gravity of the situation. "The lack of food being sent by the UEC has, from the beginning, been far below the amount needed to sustain the colony, of which the population has diminished considerably after years of near starvation. Yet in spite of the lack of almost everything the people of L2 are determined to survive. They've created a system of sharing what they have in a fair manner, with children and pregnant women receiving the best of the goods they receive weekly from an outside source, who bravely, and might I add, rightly, cross the embargo line to deliver life-sustaining sustenance. I saw order and kindness, and despite their being systematically starved by the sanctions imposed by the UEC, they have hope. Here are the faces of L2." The screen behind Relena came alive with one picture after another of men, women and children, all too thin and with large desperate eyes looking into the camera lens.

"Those people I spoke with, as well as those I never met while living there, cling to the hope that the people of Earth will learn of their suffering and come to their rescue. They are doing all they can with what they have to simply exist, but they're dying while we live in ignorance of their suffering."

Relena squared off her shoulders and with an expression of determination she continued. "I'm publically calling on the UEC to end the blockade of L2 immediately, and plead for all international relief agencies to send whatever they can spare to these desperate people. I pledge to you and to the people of L2 that I will not rest until they are free once more. The conditions they've been forced to live under these past years are not unlike those imposed by the Alliance on some of the colonies before the Eve wars. Such treatment was one of the main reasons why the colonists fought for their independence from Earth by sending the gundams. Let's not let that happen again. I'm ashamed to say that the people of L2 have not known us to be their friends. I hope to change that. I implore all of those who hear the sound of my voice to write and call to your government officials and representatives, join your voices with mine in an effort to bring an end to the needless suffering on L2, unarguably the poorest colony in space. Let's not only bring them food, water and all things necessary to live, but also jobs, commerce and give them a voice, in space and on Earth, that will help them to thrive.

"On another note, I thank you for your concern on my behalf. I'm happy to be home and I assure you that I am well and appreciate more than ever my family and the simple necessities of life." She gave the audience, mostly reporters and a smattering of government officials, a slight smile as the pictures of L2's citizenry continued to be displayed on the screen behind her and the cameras present in the room continued to flash and record her image for television, newspapers and magazines. "I will now answer a few questions."

As if on cue, a warning tap sounded on the door and Heero walked into the director's office. Sporting two days' worth of beard and well-wrinkled clothing, he looked a bit worse for wear, as if he'd been awake and on the move for a couple of days. His eyes lit up at seeing Wufei sitting in front of the director's desk, but then the television screen caught his attention. With eyes widening in surprise he asked. "What's going on?"

"Relena's holding a press conference," Une answered with a frown.

"Who set that up? Who's in charge of her security?"

The camera had panned back just as he asked that, and now visible behind her stood Milliardo and Lucretia in uniform, both wearing somber faces as their eyes systematically scanned the room for any threats.

"Looks like she's in good hands," Wufei said as he rose to his feet and extended his hand to Heero. "It's good to see you."

Dragging his eyes and thoughts away from the screen, he faced his fellow agent and friend. Giving Wufei a quick once over to assess his well being after his disappearance, he took his hand in his own and gave it a firm shake. "About time you showed up, Chang," he said, unable to keep his grin from showing.

"Well, you know me, I like to keep people guessing."

Heero chuckled. "As Duo would say, you're full of shit."

"If you two have finished your little male bonding ritual," Une interrupted, "I think Heero would like to be brought up to speed. Since I've already read your statement, Wufei, perhaps you could repeat it to Heero while the both of you get something to eat from cafeteria. He looks like he could use it."

"You do look a bit haggard," the Chinese man told his friend with a look of concern.

"You would be too if you'd traveled as much as I have in the past two weeks. I need to spend more than two days in one place in order to get my bearings."

"And you'll have that, starting now," Une said as she moved back to her desk and sat down. "Consider yourself off duty for the next seventy-two hours. I expect you to eat properly and get some rest. Relena and Wufei have been returned and she appears to be under the care and protection of her brother, so you can rest at ease."

"And the marauders?"

"I'll have agents stationed in the colonies follow up if another freighter is attacked. Now go on. I don't want to see you until next Monday, Agent Yuy." Heero nodded and turned towards the door. "Wufei." Une looked to the other man. "I'm sure you'd like to get back to your apartment. Go home and report back here tomorrow morning."

"Yes, Ma'am. Thank you." The director turned her attention to her computer, the action dismissing the two agents.

Side by side the two men walked comfortably in each others' company towards the elevator. "Are you all right?" Heero asked, looking aside at his friend.

"Yes."

"Tell me what happened."

And so Wufei began his rehearsed tale, basically telling his very astute comrade nothing at all. By the time they reached the cafeteria on the third floor, there was little else to be said. Heero asked a few questions, and if he was disappointed by the lack of answers, he didn't show it. Thankfully, the cafeteria was almost empty at this time of the day, being three fifteen p.m. They filled their trays from the selection of food available, then chose a corner table out of habit.

The moment they sat down, Heero reached for his cell phone, vibrating against his hip. He opened it, glanced at the numbers displayed, and with a smile forming on his lips as he brought the compact phone to his ear. "Duo." His voice was warm in greeting the other man.

The Chinese man began to eat his meal, ignoring the burn of his wounded arm and deliberately moving as if it didn't exist. He tried not to listen in on the private phone call, but it was difficult with Heero sitting across the table from him.

"Yes, I've seen him and he's fine. In fact, he's right here. Do you want to speak with him?" A moment later Wufei found the cell phone pressed against his ear.

"Hello, Duo."

"Wufei! Thank God you're all right. You put a few gray hairs on my head, buddy. And that's not such a good thing considering how much hair I've got and my line of work."

"Try covering them with a brown permanent marker," he said in a deadpan voice.

"Yeah right. Like I'd find a color that matches my hair," Duo laughed, and Wufei thought how wonderful it was to hear the sound of his laughter again. Duo was indeed happy. Then the American asked, "Hey, are you going to be getting some time off because of this? Quatre told me the guys are hoping to get together in the next week or two. You up to a family reunion?"

Family. Even though they'd been separated for much of the past five years, it struck him now that the word _family_ accurately described what he felt for his former comrades. "Just let me know the dates and I'll ask for the time off."

"Great! Then you can fill us all in on what happened to you." There was a pause before Duo cleared his throat and asked if he could speak to Heero once again. Wufei promptly handed the phone back to the waiting man.

"He wants you again," said Wufei with a teasing grin. The eager look on Heero's face was something new, telling him, probably more than the stoic agent ever would, how deep his feelings for the American were.

Heero snorted at his comment, but his grin widened as he put the phone to his ear once more and heard Duo laughing. "He's right. I do _want_ you, but I can't believe that came out of the mouth of Mr. Straight-ass Preventer."

Waiting until Duo caught his breath, Heero turned slightly away and lowered his voice. "I've got the next three days off. Can you come to Sanq?" The long pause that followed his question wasn't promising.

In an apologetic tone, Duo answered, "I've got a photo shoot in the Bahamas starting tomorrow morning. I'm just about to board the plane." That accounted for the noise in the background.

"You can't fly out tomorrow night?"

"I'm booked there until the end of the week. Sorry. If I could, I really would, Heero." The sound of disappointment was clear in the American's voice.

Heero sighed. "No, it's all right. I can't expect you to drop everything at the last moment just to spend a day or two with me." He tried to convince himself that it was_ 'all right_', but it really wasn't. He guessed this was just the beginning of juggling schedules and rearranging their lives if he and Duo wanted to make some kind of life together.

"No, it's not all right. Listen, Heero, I give you my word that I'll take some time off. We'll plan a vacation together, probably with the guys, but we'll share a room and have plenty of time to... talk and reconnect."

Lowering his voice, almost whispering into the phone, Heero said, "I miss you."

"And I miss you, babe. I'd invite you to join me at the shoot but I'm afraid I'll be busy all day and then there's the social obligations with clients at night. Of course, I could make your late nights worthwhile."

Heero's thoughts turned to the few nights he'd spent in Duo's arms. It would almost be worth a sleepless weekend to have Duo naked and crying out his name as brought him to climax. But he was tired. With all the traveling he done, from Earth to space and back and between colonies interviewing Sweepers and freighter captains, he felt like he was about ready to collapse. There was no way he could travel to the Bahamas when making it to his apartment across town seemed at the moment like an almost insurmountable task. "Unfortunately, I'll have to pass this time. I really need to get some rest."

"Are you all right?" There was concern in Duo's voice.

"I will be after a good night's sleep."

"I've got to go, Heero. They're calling my flight. I'll call you again tomorrow morning. And get some sleep, mister."

Lowering his voice even more, Heero ended the call by saying, "I love you."

"Hum... knowing that will keep me smiling all week. Let me thank you now, on behalf of my employers."

Hearing Duo disconnect on his side, he closed his own phone and looked up to see Wufei gazing at him. With a shrug he concentrated on the cooling plate of food before him.

"You're hopelessly in love with him, aren't you?"

Heero nodded in reply as before he put a fork full of potatoes and meatloaf in his mouth.

"Does Duo feel the same?"

Swallowing, Heero answered. "Yes, I believe he does."

"He lives in the U.S."

"Yes."

"How is that going to work?"

With a deep sigh, Heero shook his head and answered, "I don't know. But one way or another, I'll make it work."

Wufei studied him for a moment. "By the look on your face, I have every confidence you will work something out."

************************

The emergency session of the UEC legislature convened three hours after Relena's public plea for help on behalf of L2. Proposals were made and voted on, and as the midnight hour approached, the blockade was lifted and emergency supplies and medical crews were appropriated for delivery to the weary colony. Heero slept through it all. He might have slept to the end of the week had Duo not called as he'd promised. They spoke for over an hour before Duo had to return to work. Once again Heero vowed to himself to find a solution to their distance dilemma.

Early Friday morning, before the sun had begun to hint of rising, Heero's phone rang again. "Hello, lover," Duo's cheerful yet quiet voice greeted him.

"Morning." His voice came out thick and groggy. He paused to clear his throat.

"Feeling rested?"

"Feeling better," he replied truthfully. He had a feeling it was going to take more than two full nights of sleep to feel one hundred percent.

"Good. Guess what? I'm on my way to Sanq."

"I thought..."

"The shoot went great yesterday, so the photographer told us we could go home. So change the sheets and fuel up the barbeque, honey. I'm on my way."

"I don't have a barbeque." Though it was said deadpan, there was an irrepressible smile growing on the Heero's face.

"That's all right. We're going to be too busy to eat anyway."

"What's your flight number and what time do you get in? I'll meet you at the airport."

"I'm on the red eye, so I figure we'll be touching down there in about an hour. I'm flying Bahama Air, flight five thirty five. I cleared my scheduled for the next three days, but I'll have to fly out Monday night. Can't wait to see you again."

"Don't plan on sightseeing when you get here," Heero warned, still grinning. "I doubt we'll be leaving my apartment."

"Hope your refrigerator is stocked up. I'm really hungry."

"I'll provide anything you need," Heero said with a suggestive tone.

"Anything?"

"You name it and it's yours."

There was a long pause, and Heero began to wonder if he'd said something that offended the other man. He went over the last couple of things he'd said, trying to be playful, yet he found he meant every word. He'd give Duo anything and everything he desired, if it was in his power to do so.

"You and food," Duo replied more soberly. "That's all I really need."

"You'll have both."

"Someone's glaring at me. Guess I am being rude using the phone at 4 a.m., but I didn't want to show up unannounced."

"You would be welcome regardless," Heero insisted.

"Yeah, but you know, I didn't want to accidently walk in on anything unexpected. Letting you know I'm coming, even though it's only an hour's notice, can prevent any possible awkward situations."

Heero was puzzled by that statement, but he let it go, realizing that Duo was on the plane and probably disturbing his fellow passengers' sleep by using the phone. "I'll see you in an hour then, and we'll go out for an early breakfast."

"Sounds good. See you soon."

The call ended and Heero slowly put his phone down, his mind turning over the conversation. Rolling over and sitting up, he stood and made his way to the bathroom, wondering what Duo meant by "awkward situations"? Was he disturbed by the thought of his bedding not being fresh? Or perhaps the apartment not being clean? At the early hour of the day there was certainly no one visiting... He paused at that thought, absently putting his hand under the spray of water to see if the temperature was warm enough. Could Duo have been referring to his having someone over, at four a.m.?

He frowned while considering that question. How could Duo possibly entertain the notion of him seeing someone else? There seemed to be a lot more for them to talk about in regards to their burgeoning relationship other than the distance between Sanq and New York. Duo had confessed to having had a few minor relationships, but none of them had lasted for long. His own track record was similar. No one had ever come close to rousing anything remotely close to what he felt for Duo. It was as if every fiber of his being knew that Duo was the one and only man for him. There was no logical explanation for how he felt about the other man. It went beyond physical attraction, though he couldn't deny that even the mere thought of his lover sent a wave of pleasure through him. He thought he'd made it clear to Duo that he was the only man for him, but perhaps he hadn't been clear enough. Stepping into the shower, he decided he would have to set the American straight, that what they had going on between them was going to be a monogamous relationship. He would settle for nothing less. The idea of being physically or emotionally involved with anyone other than Duo was as offensive to him as it was thinking of Duo seeing another man. No, that wouldn't do. He'd have a serious sit-down talk with the handsome model before he got on the plane for New York on Monday night.

With that decided, Heero began to shampoo his thick head of hair. His thoughts were already turning towards what he was going to wear to the airport and where he'd take Duo for breakfast before 6 a.m. In that, the possibilities were definitely limited.

TBC


	49. Chapter 51 finale

**Lies - Between Friends and Lovers  
Chapter 51**

The twenty-three minute drive to the airport proved to be rather illuminating. Well rested after sleeping nearly two days straight, Heero was able to think more clearly than he had in prior weeks. At last the answers to many of the questions that had been spinning around in his head regarding the marauders, Relena's kidnaping and the involvement of his friends in both of those cases began coalescing into possible answers. Of course he had only his assumptions and no definitive proof, but he was almost certain he had figured out most of the mystery surrounding the marauders and how his friends and Duo fit into the picture. Now all that was left was to decide what to do with his conclusions.

The plane was on time and Duo, slightly rumpled but nonetheless strikingly handsome, was one of the first to step out from the gate. After a brief and restrained greeting, (they were, after all, in a public place) they walked side by side to the baggage terminal while Duo, surprisingly alert and bright-eyed in spite of the all-night flight, filled him in on the last couple of days. Standing back from the group of passengers huddling around the oval baggage conveyer, Heero surreptitiously admired the view of Duo bending over to retrieve his two bags when they finally presented themselves. The pale faded blue jeans the American wore certainly looked good on him. Though his long and trim legs were hidden beneath denim, his perfect posterior was nicely showcased by the snug fit. The urge to put his hands on those tempting globes had to be stifled, because even at this early hour in the morning there were enough people about that his actions would more likely land him in trouble rather than bring him any pleasure.

With a suitcase in each hand and a carry-on bag slung over his shoulder, the American model spun around and caught him staring. A wide grin grew on the long-haired man's face, accompanied by a playful wink as he closed the distance between them. Duo waited until drawing up next to him to ask in a soft, seductive voice, "Undressing me already?"

Heero chuckled. "Even in my sleep."

Duo laughed out loud, and the happy sound brought the two men unwanted attention from the other passengers. "Let's go," Heero said, grabbing the teasing man's arm and pulling him out of the double doors and towards the parking lot.

The sun was just about to rise over the eastern mountains as they set the luggage into the trunk of Heero's black sports car. "Nice," Duo said with a grin of appreciation aimed at the car. "I can see you don't deny yourself some luxuries."

"Denying oneself some things can be taken as a sign of discipline," Heero answered, unlocking the car with the push of a button on his key chain. Both he and Duo got into the small vehicle and looked at each other with no small amount of hunger in their gazes. "But to deny yourself of all pleasure is nothing short of masochism, in my opinion."

Duo leaned closer, over the gearshift. "I agree completely," he said in a breathy voice just before his lips attached themselves to Heero's. The kiss was a long and thorough, which eventually led to further desires. Sports cars, they both quickly learned, were definitely not designed for two grown men who were desperate to get into each other's pants.

Throwing himself back in his seat, his lips moist and pink following the long, passionate kiss, Duo let out a frustrated huff. "Get us to your apartment, Heero, before I pull you out of this car and have my way with you on the floor of this parking lot."

"Tempting as that may be, it would get us arrested, and spending the day in the local jail is not how I plan to spend our time together." Heero quickly scanned the area around the car while combing his fingers though his hair, willing his erection to settle down. He glanced at his watch and was surprised to see they'd been making out for at least twenty minutes.

Duo chuckled. "You've got a point there. Guess it's breakfast first, huh? Gotta feed to do the deed."

Heero snorted at the corny line as he started his car. "You use that line on every guy you make out with?" he teased.

"Yeah, it's one of my better come ons," Duo joked, obviously in a good mood.

A long and awkward moment passed between them. Heero wondered silently about the other men Duo had been with during the past five years, even though his lover had assured them they had been few and far in between. Duo's expression changed to a look of worry, but before he could speak Heero was interrupted by his approach of the parking attendant's booth. He fished out the credits for the parking fee and hand it to the uniformed man. Having completed the transaction, he pulled the car onto the thoroughfare and headed back towards the city.

"Heero?" There was a nervous edge to Duo's voice. "Is there something wrong?"

"We need to talk."

There was a long pause before the other man replied. "Yeah. I guess we do. Do you want to do that now or at your place?"

"Let me pick up something for us to eat and we can take back to the apartment. We can talk over breakfast." The playful mood they'd shared only moments ago was definitely gone, replaced by a tension that neither man wanted.

Duo remained in the car while Heero ran into a restaurant. During the ten minutes he was gone the American worried about what Heero wanted to talk about. His earlier comment, made in jest, had obviously sparked something. Could it be that Heero really believed he was promiscuous? There was no doubt that he could have been, if he'd wanted. Men and women flirted with him all the time, in private as well as in public. But he'd never had a good enough reason for jeopardizing his career by letting others know of his sexual preference... until now. He worried his lower lip between his teeth as he waited and watched for the one man who made his heart ache and fill with longing at the same time. He was fully aware that one wrong word could blow not only his chances with Heero, but risk his and his friends' freedom. Damn, he was walking a fine line, a virtual highwire. One slip and everything would fall apart. It hurt to keep things from Heero, but doing so was not only an act of self preservation, but an attempt to protect those who had helped him bring aid to L2.

Heero exited the front door of the restaurant holding a large brown bag in one hand and balancing a cardboard holder containing four cups in the other. His apartment was located only a couple of blocks away from the restaurant and the car covered that small amount of distance while Duo buried his head buried in the bag. He deduced from the smell emanating from the Styrofoam containers that they were about to feast on Denver omelets, toast and hash browns. His mouth was watering from the smell of his favorite breakfast, one he hadn't indulged in more than a couple of times since he'd taken up his current profession. His manager and the hired militaristic nutritionist frowned on him eating fried food of any kind. Perhaps it was time to take back his life and make decisions for himself once again. Maybe, to prove his independence, he'd be really bad and have some chocolate cake later. Better yet, some whipping cream, real whipping cream ala Heero. Oh yeah, that would definitely hit the spot. He turned to grin at the other man just as they pulled into the parking garage of an apartment complex.

"What?" Heero smiled back before turning into what looked like an assigned space.

"Just hungry, that's all." The look he gave Heero and the suggestive shifting of his eyebrows conveyed it wasn't merely food he hungered for.

"Come on, let's get inside before we do something the neighbors will raise hell about." Heero took the keys out of the ignition, grabbed the container of drinks and the two men exited the car.

As they made their way up to the fifth floor, Duo was pleased to note that Heero's building was fitted with some a impressive security system, and he wondered how much his lover had to do with its installation. Though Heero's apartment wasn't as modern or furnished as lavishly as his place in New York, Duo liked it. The simple furniture, neutral colors with a splash of more vibrant colors coming from artwork on the walls, the throw rug and pillows, were all masculine, all Heero. The American liked what he saw and immediately felt comfortable.

"This way." Heero led him to the kitchen at the back of the apartment. It was a standard kitchen, as far as apartments went, but it allowed just enough room to include a small, two-person glass table. Duo took one seat and, after Heero retrieved some silverware out of a drawer, he took the other. The darker haired man pulled the Styrofoam containers out of the bag and gave the first one to his guest, then set the other before himself. The drinking containers, Duo found, contained orange juice and coffee.

Perfect. Everything was perfect, Duo thought, except for the bit of worry he felt about the impending "talk". It was probably better to get it out of the way so they could, hopefully, enjoy the rest of their time together. Opening his container and allowing himself a brief moment to inhale the heavenly aroma, his stomach demanded he delay no longer. Picking up his fork, he dug into the Denver omelet. Closing his eyes while he chewed allowed him to fully enjoy the wonderful flavor of eggs, bell pepper, ham and cheese, all blending together in his mouth, and he couldn't help moaning with pleasure. He heard Heero chuckle and opened his eyes to see the handsome man sitting across the table was smiling at him. "It seems like forever since I ate something like this," he explained.

Heero looked surprised. "What do you normally eat for breakfast? "

"High fiber cereal, maybe some fruit and a little low fat milk."

Heero looked surprised. "You never used to be so health conscious. If I remember right, you liked pancakes or sweetened cereal for breakfast."

"Well, I was a kid back then. Now that my job is essentially displaying my body in front of a camera and signing contracts to keep my weight at a certain level, I'm pretty much forced into watching what I eat. After all, maintaining a long and lean body is what I get paid the big bucks for."

Heero frowned. "Duo, you do not have a weight problem. I think you have a high enough metabolism to eat healthy without denying yourself."

Duo appreciated Heero's concern, but his eating habits weren't worth talking about. "So was there something specific you want to talk about?" he asked just before putting a fork full of hash browns into his mouth.

Heero put his fork down and looked him in the eyes. "Yes. I want to talk about us, about how this relationship is going to work. We have some rather significant challenges before us, one of which is living on two different continents. But no matter the problem, I'm determined to make this work, no matter what."

Duo couldn't help but sound doubtful when he asked, "No matter what?"

Heero nodded. "I'm considering putting in for a transfer to the Eastern United States Division. It's based in Washington, D.C., and that's just a short distance by plane or train to New York City."

Duo almost choked on his second mouthful of potatoes. "You'd leave Sanq and your job here for me?"

Reaching across the surface of the glass tabletop, Heero took the startled man's hand and said with all sincerity, "I love you, Duo, and I've come to realize just how rare it is to find the one person you're meant to be with. I don't want to chance losing you again, and I think if we tried to have a long-distance relationship, especially with the type of work we both do, sooner or later we would give up on being together simply because of the difficulty of the situation."

Duo squeezed the hand in his own. He could see by Heero's expression that he was completely serious and maybe even a bit anxious about his reaction to his declaration.

"That's funny," he began with a reassuring grin. "I've been thinking about looking into doing some modeling here in Europe, maybe checking out some of the universities. I feel it's time to make a career change, maybe get a degree in... well, I haven't thought it all out yet, but what I do know is that I don't want to be far away from you either."

Both men smiled, comforted by the fact that they were in agreement about not being separated by an ocean. When Heero's expression sobered again, Duo knew the man had something else on his mind. "In light of the fact that we're trying to make this work, I'd like for our relationship to be exclusive."

Duo blinked, shocked by Heero's request. "Do you think I'm seeing someone else? That I'd even consider it now that we're together?"

The accusing tone in Duo's voice naturally put Heero on the defensive. "I don't know, Duo. You've been rather tightlipped about how you feel about me, and you're always being photographed with some good looking man or woman in your company. I've tried not to pry and to respect the fact that you have a life of your own and that you don't have to answer to me. But I've discovered I'm a monogamous person by nature. I know that I want you and only you. I guess what I'm saying is that I need for you to feel the same way about me. Think about this, Duo. If you find yourself hesitating, if you're not sure I'm the one person you can pledge your life to, then I think we should take a step back and re-evaluate just what we're doing."

For several long moments Duo simply stared at the man sitting across from him, not giving away his inner thoughts as he asked, "What exactly do you mean by 'pledge my life'?"

Heero's face became flushed from embarrassment. He hadn't meant to speak his mind quite so soon, but he couldn't retract what he'd said either. "Same-sex marriage is legal here in Sanq. I don't want to rush you, Duo, and I know we haven't been seeing each other very long, but I know without a doubt what I want, and that's you by my side. When you're ready to hear the words, I'll ask you to marry me."

After the expression of surprise faded from Duo's face, he appeared thoughtful for about five seconds before he reached forward and closed the Styrofoam lid on his unfinished breakfast. Heero watched as the man picked the container up, along with his cup of juice and fork, and rose from his chair. Alarmed and thinking that he'd spoken prematurely, Heero stood as well. "Duo," he began and then stopped short, not knowing what he could possibly say to placate his lover. He'd put his heart on the line and it appeared as though Duo wasn't ready to deal with the depth of his feelings for him. He could only watch as Duo put his meal in the refrigerator, his fork and cup in the sink. When he turned, Heero was still in the process of preparing himself for rejection. Duo's eyes met his own before shifting to the table. "I'd put your food away for later, if I were you."

Confused, Heero stood from his chair, wondering why Duo cared about something so insignificant at a time like this. "Are you leaving?" He somehow managed to voice his worst fear, even with the lump in his throat and his heart on the verge of breaking.

The blue-violet eyes widened. "Shit, Heero. What's going on in that head of yours? Where the hell do you think I'm going?" Duo walked up to him looking exasperated and yet determined. And when they were standing toe to toe, the braided man bent his head slightly to capture his lover's lips, his arms wrapping securely around Heero's waist and jerking him close against his chest. He then proceeded to kiss the Asian man senseless. Any confusion or worry Heero felt moments before evaporated like a bank of fog under the brilliant sunshine. His heart was racing and his knees felt weak while his lower regions were definitely coming to attention by the time Duo pulled back to let them both catch a breath.

"Idiot," Duo whispered against his hair, his arms still holding him tight. "Don't you know that I've always been yours for the asking? From the first time we kissed I gave you my heart."

"But I almost killed you." Heero shook his head as it rested on Duo's shoulder. "I still don't understand why you decided to forgive and trust me. I really don't deserve either."

"That's all in the past," Duo said firmly, his hand combing through Heero's thick hair. "And I don't want to talk about that anymore. I'm yours and you're mine. In fact, there's only one thing on my mind at the moment and it has nothing to do with words or apologies. Show me your bedroom, Heero, or this kitchen is going to get rather messy."

Heero embraced the other man just as tightly, grateful once again for Duo's forgiveness and having him back in his life. He breathed in the masculine and pleasant scent of his lover, and without forethought he blurted out, "Do you think you might consider marrying me, Duo?"

With a smile in his voice the other man answered, "You name the time and place and I'm there with bells on."

Heero confirmed that his lover was smiling when he kissed those generous, upturned lips, and he put every bit of passion he had into that action, wordlessly telling the other man how happy Duo's agreeing to legally cement their relationship had made him. Together the two men, unwilling to separate for even a moment, stumbled their way into the bedroom, discarding their clothes along the way. They fell onto the bed together with bare limbs entangled and briefly wrestled for the top position, groping, stroking and caressing each other until they could hold back no longer. Their love making was passionate and breathtakingly wonderful as each man strove to prove to the other how much he was loved and desired.

Still slightly sweaty and thoroughly sated, the two recovered slowly from their lovemaking while resting in each other's arms, their hearts and bodies slowly calming to a more restive state. Heero's ear rested on Duo's shoulder, and he could hear the steady drone of his lover's heartbeat.

"Heero?" Duo's voice sounded uncertain.

"Yes," he replied, running his hand over the smooth expanse of skin beneath his fingers.

"Before we make this official and tell the world we're not only gay but that we're getting hitched, I think there is something I should tell you, something you should know about me. Up until recently I've been involved with some things that I've purposely withheld from you."

Before the long-haired man could blink, it came to Heero what Duo wanted to talk about, or rather what he was about to confess. He reacted immediately. Rising up on his elbow he firmly placed his fingers over the top of his lover's mouth. "Stop. Don't say anything." Suddenly, the room was filled with tension.

Duo wrenched his head to the side to free his lips. "No, really, Heero. I have something to tell you."

This time Heero's entire hand covered his lover's mouth entirely. "Don't say it," he strongly warned again. "I think I know what you're about to confess, but it really would be for the best if you didn't. Having had a couple of days to rest, I was able to put a few pieces of the puzzle together while driving to the airport this morning. I think I've figured out what's been going on and that you, Quatre and Trowa are involved, though there are a few more pieces missing that would spell out the whole picture of your operation._ I know_, Duo." Heero paused to let that statement sink in with his lover before he continued. "But if we talk about this, if you confess to me your involvement in something unlawful, then you will compromise my job as well as your safety. If at this very moment I was asked whether or not I know anything about your involvement with the marauders or the two kidnapings, I can honestly say I know nothing, and a lack of evidence would back me up. I refuse to have anything to do with putting you in prison, but I also took an oath to uphold the law when I became a Preventer. I'm asking, if you love me, do not to make me choose between you and my principles. If you feel the need to unburden yourself simply to clear your conscience, _please_ _don't_. Live with a little guilt rather than risk your freedom and our being together."

Duo reached up and pulled the hand away from his mouth. The braided man's demeanor was now completely serious as he gazed into Heero's eyes. "It's not about my having a clear conscience, Heero. I'm just trying to be honest with you. I don't want to jeopardize our relationship by lying to you."

"And you won't," Heero quickly jumped in. "From this moment on we will make a point of being honest and up front with each other. If we have a problem, we'll discuss it. If we're angry, we'll talk it out, without resorting to any physical violence. I give you my word..."

"Stop!" Duo said sharply. "Don't go there. I've had your apology for past mistakes and your word that you won't hurt me. I don't want us to keep going over this and re-hashing who did what, all right? I want the past behind us and not haunting us for the rest of our lives."

Heero thought about it a moment, then nodded his head. "Agreed. I'll not keep apologizing for what I did just as long as you keep your part of the bargain by not talking about the past five years. We'll start right now, from this very moment."

"Sounds like a plan," said Duo with a widening grin.

Heero kissed him gently, then resettled his head back onto his lover's shoulder. After a long moment of silent contemplation he asked, "So, what's it to be? Do we live in New York or here in Sanq?"

There was no hesitation as Duo answered, "Here."

"You're sure?"

"Yes. Once it comes out that I'm gay, there's no doubt going to be some backlash. I'm pretty sure some of the companies I model for will be less than pleased with that fact, so starting our life together here and my going back to school in Sanq is probably for the best."

"I'll do everything in my power to see that you never regret being with me," Heero said solemnly, and made himself a promise to make good on his word.

Two months later

Cautiously pulling up to his designated parking space, Heero turned off the engine of his car and got out. While locking the door, he thoroughly scanned the parking garage once again. If he had to deal with one more photographer jumping out of nowhere, he couldn't promise not to injure him. One photographer in particular had been persistent and ridiculously aggressive in his attempts to get a picture of Duo or of himself and Duo together. He'd approached the insolent man with the enormous lens attached to his camera while in uniform and threatened to arrest and charge him with harassment of a Preventer if he didn't desist from stalking them. The guy had wisely backed off for a couple of days, but he hadn't given up. Pictures that had appeared in the tabloids and other magazines of the two of them had pretty much ended his chances of doing any undercover work. But that didn't bother him. He'd resigned from field work several weeks ago and was now working on local cases and had become a technical specialist for the organization. Being home each night with his lover was much more preferable to a long-term stakeout or infiltrating any day.

Duo hadn't had and easy time of it either. After making the decision to move to Sanq so they could be together, he informed his agent and those companies he had contracts with about the changes in his life, namely, that he would be relocating and the reason for the change of address. He subsequently lost two very lucrative modeling contracts. Then it became word of mouth that fueled the rumors that Duo, famous model and former gundam pilot, was gay and engaged to a Preventer who lived and worked in Sanq. It hadn't taken long for the people Duo had associated with to start calling, some expressing their shock and outrage for his duplicity, and others who voiced their support and well wishes. The press began tracking them down for a comment or request for an interview. Without granting either, Duo boxed up his belongings and, with Quatre's help, shipped his personal belongings to Heero's apartment.

Of course the harassment hadn't ended with the move. Duo's agent called at least three times a week with requests for interviews and the die-hard paparazzi showed up almost daily. His lover's nerves and patience were being tested, but he never varied from his plans nor his decision to move in with Heero. They refused all interviews, comments or public appearances together, determined to keep their lives private, having taken Quatre and Trowa's advice on how to deal with the press and public.

Happy to see that there didn't appear to be anyone about, Heero began the short trek into the building and up the stairs. Anticipation at seeing his lover and spending the evening with him had him taking the stairs three at a time.

He entered the apartment and shut the door with just enough force to alert his lover that he had returned. "In here!" Duo's voice came from the direction of the kitchen. Heero removed his shoes and his Preventer jacket at the same time and hung the latter on the coat stand. He the proceeded to the kitchen while loosening his tie. Duo looked up from the familiar looking containers spread out over the small kitchen table as he approached. Stopping just short of the table, Heero gazed at the ten white boxes. "Again?" he asked the braided man with a questioning lift of one eyebrow.

"We haven't had Chinese food for at least a week," Duo replied defensively.

"I thought we were going to try and use the cookbooks we bought."

A sheepish look crept over the other man's face. "I did try. It turned out terrible so I threw it out. This is the backup plan."

Heero sighed as he glanced over to the sink to see it was filled with dishes and several pots looking worse for wear and the smell of something burnt in the air. His lover had many fine qualities and attributes, but unfortunately cooking was not one of them. Duo was impatient even when it came to boiling water, often walking away to do something else and forgetting about it altogether until the pan was dry and red hot. Heero had watched him turn up the gas flame in order to hurry up the cooking process when he should have lowered it in order to prevent scorching or burning. Duo's attempts at cooking dinner were beginning to cost a fortune in wasted food, take out as well as the purchase of new pans and bakeware to replace the ones he'd destroyed. But given the apologetic look on his lover's handsome face - a very appealing look indeed - Heero could easily forgive him for just about anything, especially yet another failed attempt at making dinner. "Perhaps we can look a couple of recipes over later tonight, select an easier dish to prepare and I can explain exactly what is required."

Duo shrugged and answered, "Well, okay, if you think that will help." From the tone in his voice Heero could tell that the other man was dubious of any future success in the kitchen. Perhaps it was time to concede in the inevitable and just cook dinner himself. Shortly after moving in with him a little over six weeks ago, Duo had offered to attempt cooking their evening meal, since he was almost always arrived home before he did. He would never have agreed if he'd known Duo really had no talent when it came to preparing anything other than a cup of coffee or tea, soup from a can or a package of ramen.

"Why don't you take the plates out and I'll get us something to drink," he suggested. Duo nodded and went straight to the cupboard, giving Heero a good look at what his lover was wearing, or rather, what he wasn't wearing.

Having lost several jobs already, and at loose ends about what to do in his spare time until the next school term started, Duo signed a short-term contract with an Italian designer in order to keep busy and work closer to his new home. He was now the lead model for Luigi Delchiaro, a designer of men's clothing. So for the next year his presence was going to be required whenever the designer showcased his newest line in fashion shows or for photo shoots for ads in top fashion magazines. When Duo got home at the end of the day, he typically shed his regular clothing for a large, loose T-shirt that covered him to his thighs. More often than not he wore boxers beneath the shirt, but not always... and not today. When he reached up for the plates, the hem of the T-shirt rose, giving Heero a good look at a nicely rounded bottom at the top of those long and slender legs. Not one to waste an opportunity, he moved silently behind his lover and lowered his hands to cup those marvelous globes before sliding them up the bare heated skin and encircling the trim waist. Duo hummed with pleasure and leaned back into his chest, a plate held loosely in each hand.

"Glad you're home," the braided man sighed.

Heero kissed his neck and smiled as Duo tilted his head to give him better access. "You're nice to come home to." Catching a glimpse of the sink full of dirty and ruined dishes, he thought it might just be worth the cost of the meal and cooking implements just to have Duo welcome him home in such a pleasant way. Yet just as his hands began to wander, Duo turned, kissed him briefly on the nose and said, "Dinner's getting cold."

"Forget dinner."

Duo slipped out of his hold easily and dodged his attempt to recapture him. "No way," he laughed. "I'm hungry. Eat first, then play." Heero resigned himself to following the tantalizing man to the table and watch as Duo filled up one plate with a little bit of food from each container and handed it to him before he repeated the same process for himself. "Let's eat in the living room."

His eyes couldn't help but follow the tip of the long braid as it swayed from side to side over the tempting derriere as Duo led the way into the living room. The room was pretty much the same as it had been before the American had moved in. The one addition was the spectacular black and white portrait that had hung on the wall of Duo's penthouse in New York City. Duo had presented it to him as a gift upon his arrival. It was his most prized possession, excluding the man whose backside had become something of an obsession for him.

Duo sat down on the carpet and promptly crossed his legs, leaving Heero with a dilemma. Should he sit next to Duo so that they could watch the evening news together while eating, or should he sit directly in front of him, where he might catch a glimpse of what lay hidden beneath the rising hemline of his long T-shirt? There really was no need to ponder that particular question. He moved to sit directly across from Duo and hoped they could just leave the news off for one night.

Settling on the floor, crossing his legs as Duo had, he looked up to see his lover's amused expression. "Knew you couldn't resist."

Heero grinned back. "You know me well."

"Damn right, and I'll get to know you even better once we finish this meal." Heero thought there had never been a better incentive to eat his meal as quickly as possible.

After watching Duo sample several of the dishes on his plate, his braided lover looked up and asked, "How was work?"

Heero shrugged as he chewed on a piece of shrimp. "It was good, actually. There are no new leads on Relena's abductors. The case is essentially dead until something else shows up. And because the marauders seemed to have disappeared since the embargo was lifted from L2, that case has also been put on the back burner until such a time as new information comes in. However, with all the speculation about what the marauders did with the goods stolen..."

"Traded goods, you mean," Duo interrupted with one raised eyebrow.

"Forcibly taken yet paid for," Heero amended. "All but one of the companies boarded by the marauders have withdrawn their complaints, probably out of guilt for not doing something themselves about the situation on L2. The marauders have gotten the reputation of being modern-day Robin Hoods, and no one really wants to see the men legends are made of brought to court, tried and imprisoned for their heroic actions."

"Let me guess who the one jackass is that won't drop his complaint," Duo said after swallowing a piece of broccoli. "The ship that fought back."

"Correct."

"Assholes."

Both men let the topic go, not wanting to breach their agreement to not discuss Duo's past nor Heero's suspicions regarding the identity of the marauders.

The braided man deftly shifted from the subject. "So how's Wufei? I haven't seen him since our vacation."

"He's fine. He finally asked Relena out on a date. If all goes well tomorrow night, Wufei intends to escort her the wedding."

Duo laughed and leaned back against the sofa, almost giving Heero a peek through the glass table at the assets barely hidden beneath his T-shirt. "It's about time. Rumor has it he's been eyeballing her ever since they returned from Mexico. He's obviously seeing her in a different light than he did during the war."

Heero nodded. "We've all grown up since then." Then looking more thoughtful he added, "I think he admires how she'd handled herself after the kidnaping. Instead of acting hysterical, demanding justice or revenge, she sought to help the helpless. His admiration for her grew as she stood up for L2 and demanded they be treated with dignity and respect."

Duo leaned forward again and picked up his chopsticks. "I think they're good for each other. Wufei had always seemed lost after his colony blew itself up. Maybe he can rebuild it again... one baby at a time."

This time it was Heero who laughed out loud. "Isn't that a bit premature? They have only started dating."

"We'll see," said Duo, wagging his eyebrows in a knowing manner.

"What did you do today?" Heero asked as he worked his chopsticks around the slippery chow mein.

"After jogging this morning, then working out at the gym, I was fitted for my tux, checked with the caterers to see that everything was set for next week and confirmed the wine and flowers. The bakery called and said the cake would be ready at ten a.m and delivered and set up by eleven."

"Nervous?"

Duo paused and lowered the hand holding his chopsticks to the table as he thought a moment about the question. "No. I'm not nervous, just a bit anxious about all the details coming together. I've never planned a wedding before, so I'm hoping I haven't forgotten anything."

"With Quatre as your guide, I doubt any detail will be overlooked. He thinks of everything."

A warm smile filled with affection clearly displayed Duo's feeling about the blond businessman. "It's pretty great of Quat and Trow to pay for the wedding."

"They want you to be happy, Duo, and so do I, " Heero said, admiring his lover's smile and wanting more than anything to kiss those tempting lips.

"I'm happier than I've ever been in my life," his braided lover confessed, and the love showing in his eyes told Heero that he was speaking truthfully.

"Can you believe this is happening?" Duo asked. "During the past five years I never would have thought this was possible; me and you together and getting married."

"After all we've been though, we deserve a happy ending."

Duo contemplated this for a moment before replying, "I don't know about deserving to be this happy, but I'm grateful for it all the same."

Heero reached across the table to take his lover's hand in his. "I'm grateful too."

Despite the secrets that remained between them, their love had grown. Heero wouldn't have thought that lies between lovers, or friends for that matter, would ever be justifiable. He'd come to believe, however, that sometimes it was better to be ignorant in order to have a bit of bliss. Though he was curious as to how Duo was involved with the marauders, or even if he was involved in Relena's kidnaping, seeing as how she was safely returned at the same time the group of do-gooders had disappeared, they had practiced the don't ask don't tell agreement. Some people would no doubt have a problem with not knowing everything about their fiancé, but Heero had no trouble at all. Duo was his, now and forever, and that was worth sacrificing a bit of truth, about the past at least. Gazing at the man across from him, his love for him burning in his chest, he asked, "Are you almost finished with your meal?"

Duo's eyes seemed to sparkle as he answered. "We can always reheat this for a mid-night snack." Given that as permission to proceed without caution, Heero rose with Duo's hand still in his own and helped his lover to his feet even as he rounded the coffee table. The kiss they shared was passionate and tasted of the shared meal. Easing the braided man down on the sofa and in a reclining position, Heero's gaze was heated as he straightened and began to shed his uniform.

"I love a man in uniform," Duo sighed while giving his lover an appreciative once over. "Especially when he's taking it off."

Once he was completely stripped of his clothing, Heero sat on the sofa's edge and began to slowly inch up the large T-shirt, admiring the view of the flesh being exposed. "I still have trouble believing that you're here, and that you're mine," he said, feeling incredibly lucky and very grateful.

"Let me prove to you that I'm all yours," Duo said with a grin as he reached up his hands and pulled Heero down to rest on top of him, his legs spreading to accommodate him. Both men moaned as their erections met. "Damn but that feels good," Duo moaned as he thrust his hips up to increase the pleasurable sensation.

"Are you sure you don't want to remain celibate until after the ceremony?" Heero asked, teasing the other man about the suggestion he'd made after Duo arrived in Sanq with all his belongings. Abstaining from sex was something neither of them could seriously contemplate. In fact, they'd made love every night since Duo's arrival, and sometimes in the morning, just to start the day out right. Neither of them had complained so far.

"I don't think that's possible, even though the wedding's only a week away, " Duo chuckled. "I'll just have to think of something creative for our wedding night."

"You do that," Heero replied with a grin as his lips began to nip and kiss a trail from the base of his lover's neck to his ear. Taking the earlobe into his mouth he sucked on it gently before releasing it to trace the rest of his ear with his tongue, causing Duo to moan as he dipped his tongue into his ear canal. With his lover moaning his name, he moved back to capture the lips he would never tire of. Oh yes, life was good, Heero thought as his tongue invaded Duo's mouth once more, and with this beautiful, wonderful man by his side, it could only get better.

Despite being pleasantly occupied, a stray thought slipped into Heero's mind, something that he'd been meaning to ask his lover for several months now. Releasing Duo's lips, he looked down at the man sprawled beneath him. "By the way, what's Howard's last name?"

"What?" Duo laughed out loud, his eyes sparkling with disbelief. "You wait until now to ask me this?"

"Actually, Wufei mentioned it when we were trying to track Howard down. He said you knew what Howard's last name was and Trowa had weaseled it out of you. Why have I never heard Howard's last name before?"

Duo's smile threatened to split his face it was so wide. "Well, it's not so much that Howie is ashamed or embarrassed by his name, it's just that people mispronounce it, or simply misconstrue the what they hear. I know I teased the hell out him when I found out."

Heero was becoming more curious by the moment. "What is it?"

"I don't know," Duo hedged, a teasing glint in his eyes. "Howie made me promise not to tell anyone unless it was absolutely necessary, and then I should think again about giving it out. He doesn't offer his last name to just anyone."

"You said he wasn't embarrassed by it?" Heero questioned, running a finger tip over the top of his lover's bare shoulder.

"Well, part of his not telling anyone is security. People can't get into your business unless they have a last name, as you found out. If no one knows it, he's hard to trace and his bank accounts and business dealings are safer."

"Duo, what's his last name?"

The American began to squirm as Heero's fingertips jumped from his shoulder to his side and tickled the bare flesh he found there. "That's not fair, Heero. Ah!" He laughed and squirmed, trying to escape from the tormenting fingers as the skirted lightly over his sensitive flesh.

"Tell me."

No matter how he twisted or turned, Duo couldn't escape nor stop from laughing. "Stop. Heero. I... I give already."

Heero smiled triumphantly. "Too bad Oz didn't know how ticklish you are. That bit of information might have saved you a beating each time you were captured."

"Hey! I wasn't captured that often."

"Duo." There was a definite hint of warning in Heero's voice.

"Okay, okay." Taking a breath, Duo wrapped his arms around his lover, enjoying the way Heero's body felt on top of his own. "Did you know Howard was an orphan, like me?"

"No, I didn't know that."

"His parents died when he was young, around four or five years old. It was some kind of sailing accident. They lived in the South Pacific, and since he didn't have any other living relatives, he was left in the care of his parents' good friends and those people adopted Howard into their family of eight. He went from being an only child to having a lot of siblings They were Samoan, and they changed Howard's last name to theirs, hoping it would help him feel more like a part of their family when he eventually came to realize how different in appearance he was from them."

"So he's got a Samoan last name?"

"Yup."

"Is it hard to pronounce, is that why he never uses it?"

"Kind of."

"Just tell me." Heero was beginning to get exasperated. Duo was really playing this out.

"Okay. But you gotta promise you won't tell anyone, or tease Howie about it when you see him at the wedding."

"He's coming?" This bit of news surprised Heero.

Duo's eyes narrowed. "There will be no interrogating of the man at our wedding or reception. I won't have our day messed up by you or Wufei trying to corner Howard in an attempt to interrogate him."

"He's officially back from where ever he's been?"

Duo nodded. "He's on L3, having recently returned from a run to Mars."

"And there are people who can verify that's where he's been? Crew members on his ship and contacts on Mars?"

Duo shrugged one shoulder. "Sure. I guess so. He mentioned staying with a group of Sweepers while on Mars."

"How convenient," Heero muttered. He had little doubt that the tightknit group would vouch for Howard no matter what the circumstances. Though truthfully, he hoped the man had covered his tracks well, because he was fairly certain Howard something to do with the marauders. His long absence during the past couple of years and a stealth system used by the marauders was more than a little suspicious.

"So do you promise?"

The narrowing of Duo's eyes told the Preventer he was going to be in trouble if he didn't answer the question to his lover's satisfaction. "I promise not to confront Howard in any way about anything at the wedding, including his last name. Will he agree to meet with Wufei after the reception, or the next morning?"

"Well, I'll send him an email stating your request." Duo's smile lengthened with each passing moment. "And now that I have your promise, Howard's last name is..." The long-haired man paused for dramatic effect before he leaned in and whispered into Heero's ear.

Heero's eyebrows lowered with confusion as the name was uttered. "That's it?"

"Yup."

"I don't get it. It's just a name."

Duo looked at him as if he were crazy. "Heero! I can't believe you. I'd never live it down if that was my last name."

"I really don't see what's so humorous."

"Fak-a-lata," Duo said, unable to keep from grinning as he carefully annunciated each syllable. When Heero didn't offer any further comment he repeated the name, this time ever slower. "Fak-a-lata. You know, our favorite past time."

Though Heero shook his had and rolled his eyes, the left corner of his mouth twitched upwards. "That's stretching it, don't you think? Besides, that is not so unusual for a Samoan name."

"Well to my American ears it's a crazy name to have," Duo replied, unable to believe Heero didn't think Howard's last name was hilarious.

"Let's forget about Howard's name for the moment. I've got something else in mind," Heero dipped back down to capture those grinning lips, though not a moment passed before Howard's last name was running through his mind, and kissing became very hard to do with a big grin on his face, and laughter following.

"Maxwell-Yuy doesn't sound so bad now, does it?" Duo asked with a matching smile, knowing exactly what was going through his head. The teasing wiggle of his hips made Heero's breath catch.

"Yuy-Maxwell sounds better." It had been a point of teasing for both men, whose name would come first when they combined them. Although it was discussed that it wasn't necessary for either of them to change their names, they both wanted to. For himself, Heero didn't really care what his last name was, but Duo loved to tease him about his name being first, so he teased right back. "What would you be willing to do to change my mind?"

"Is that a challenge?" Duo couldn't resist a challenge, and the broadening of his smile showed his excitement. With the rise of one eyebrow, Heero more or less told his lover to bring it on, to do his worst, which, of course, would be Duo's very, very best. Once again it was proved to Heero that life with Duo Maxwell was going to be one hell of a ride.

The end

**Author's note:** _Well, that wraps up another story. Whether you liked, loved or barely tolerated Lies, I thank you for reading along. And a double thanks to those of you who took the time to comment. I appreciate you sharing your thoughts with me. And the greatest debt of gratitude goes out to Louise for being my beta. She's been editing my stories for years now, and in doing so she has been teaching me, reminding me of grammar lessons long forgotten. She's the best!. Thanks, my friend. There might be another story or two coming up in the next few weeks, but I'm definitely slowing down, writing wise, and my files are almost empty. So I'll be spending some time this summer trying to see if I've got one more story in me._


	50. Epilogue

_Well, I thought I was done with Lies, but no sooner had I posted the last chapter I recalled several things I'd left out, like what happened to Hilde, Taylor and Howard. I hope I answered all the questions in this epilogue. Thanks to all for reading along._

**Lies - Epilogue**

Taylor Mann sat near the back of the room trying his best to be just another face in a crowd. Duo had invited him to his wedding and damn if he wasn't going to being there, regardless of the chance that he might be recognized. He held out hope that the changes he'd undergone during the past couple of months would keep both he and Duo safe. Still, the need to be discrete was as important now as they had during the past couple of years.

Upon his arrival at today's event, he had stood in line with the other guests as his former employer and his hellish fiancé greeted them as they entered the front entry. Of course, his one-time tormentor had recognized him, even after all he'd done to change his appearance. Now sporting short, bleached blond hair, an earring in his left ear and a slightly altered nose, he was no longer the exact copy of the famous model he'd successfully impersonated for the past couple of years. He now looked more like a cousin or maybe even a younger brother. Several people had commented on his likeness to the handsome model, and he'd thanked them for the compliment, telling them that he and Duo had discovered by chance that they were distant cousins. His appearance alone was proof of his claim, which happened to be true.

Glancing around at the other guests, he marveled again at being in the presence of famous movie stars, icons in the fashion industry, as well as war heroes and people who were featured in the news almost weekly. It was just a pity he could no longer associate with those he'd actually made friends with, or in some cases, slept with. He sighed, thinking of his recent past life. That's just the way the granola bar crumbled.

In order to distance himself from the people he and Duo had duped for the past couple of years, and in particular those he'd slept with, he'd arrived at the last minute and was purposely seated in Yuy's guest section. From what he'd learned before the ceremony started, that group of unfortunate people sitting around him consisted mainly of Preventers the man worked with on a regular basis, Relena Peacecraft and her entourage, and a few of the residents who lived on the same floor as the soon-to-be married couple.

He gave all the credit to Duo for the last group's presence. No doubt the outgoing model had quickly made friends with the neighbors while living with Yuy for the past two months. For the life of him he couldn't imagine the overbearing Preventer having casual acquaintances much less friends with everyday people. Drawing on his own experience with Duo's betrothed, having been locked up in his employer's apartment with the intimidating man for one horrific weekend, or rather, held hostage during that time, he doubted the crotchety Preventer possessed the skills to make friends on his own.

Taylor stifled a yawn as the officiator continued to drone on and on, and was currently breaking down each and every expectation and promise made when two people marry. Shaking his head, he just couldn't figure out why Duo would want to tie himself down with the man he was currently holding hands with at the front of the room. He knew for a fact that Duo could have had anyone he set his sights on.

Anyone.

Well, except him, of course.

He was pure, through and through, heterosexual. His previous discomfort at being around gay men had changed dramatically since being employed by Duo and becoming acquainted with his closest friends. Though if he were honest, the mere thought of two guys bumping uglies made his stomach twist. He wondered if gay men thought the same of a man and woman having hot and heavy sex. Hum... he'd have to ask Duo someday.

His eyes drifted to the blond who represented Duo's best man. Too bad he couldn't brag to anyone that he actually knew Quatre Winner and his partner, Trowa Barton. Yup, he was one of the few people who knew the three friends had been gundam pilots. Well, Duo was out of the closet on that one, so to speak. Having had his picture broadcast by the government when he'd been captured in space pretty much insured his remaining unidentified as a former gundam pilot impossible. Still, Duo's past didn't seem to bother his fans, nor the celebrities they'd both hung around with during the past couple of years.

The officiator marrying the couple was a middle-aged woman covered from neck to knees in a burgundy judge's robe. She had a voice that carried through the room well enough, but unfortunately she seemed to be getting a bit emotional and teary eyed as she gazed at the two men standing before her. Well, he could understand that. As a woman, she was uniting two of best good looking guys she'd probably ever seen. There ended that gene pool, he mused with a grin and a slight shake of his head. Well, there were plenty more fish in the sea, and he had every intention of going fishing now that he was no longer employed by Duo any longer and wasn't accountable for everything he said and did.

He sat up straighter, sensing that the overly long ceremony was beginning to wind down. Duo had promised him this part wouldn't take more than fifteen minutes, but the officiator had definitely gotten carried away and the ceremony was now well past that time frame. His patience was nearing its end and he found it almost impossible not to fidget.

When it seemed as if they had finally arrived at the important part of the ceremony, he and the entire audience leaned forward in their seats to listen closely as first Duo and then Heero pledged their lives and fidelity to each other. With a final word from the officiator that they should always remember to care and nurture each other as partners in life, the woman at last addressed the audience, declaring the Heero and Duo Maxwell-Yuy were now legally wedded.

_Don't kiss. Please don't kiss_, Taylor thought to himself. He could accept his friend was gay, but he didn't want to watch two men kissing. When it looked like that was exactly what they were about to do, he resisted the urge to put his hands over his eyes and instead closed them until he heard the audience begin to applaud, signaling the public display of affection was over. Sure enough, when he opened his eyes, forever freed from color contact lenses, the two married men faced their invited guests, both impeccably dressed in complementing black designer suits and wearing almost identical grins. Taylor clapped along with everyone else. He was sincerely happy that Duo had found love, even though he would never understand why he'd picked Heero Yuy.

The happy couple walked down the same aisle they had first journeyed down less than an hour ago and proceeded to lead everyone out an adjacent door and into an open courtyard. It was early evening, and it was as if the gods above were looking down on today's proceedings because the rain that had fallen for the past three days was gone, and in its place was blue skies with only a smattering of cirrus clouds that would no doubt provide a dramatic sunset in the next hour.

The guests poured out into the garden area, eyes wide as they expressed their delight at the sight before them. Hanging above the garden area on extended wires were crystal chandeliers, ready to brighten the garden after the sun had set. Containers of flowering plants were set amongst the white cushioned sofas and arm chairs that were grouped in various places around the garden to make the wedding guests more comfortable. The background for all this was the ivy covered walls that surrounded most of the garden. White lilies and large bunches of baby's breath, their stems wrapped in green satin ribbon, were placed on small tables to the front and side of the inviting chairs, giving the all over feel of a formal yet comfortable place for friends and family to visit.

As Taylor stepped into the garden, a line of waiters streamed out from a side door, carrying large trays of appetizers, which they promptly offered to the wedding guests. They began with small pastry cups filled with papaya and mango salsa, which was then followed with cocktail napkins topped with little pieces of hard bread and bruschetta, and that was just the beginning of the delectable bits of food offered. He had to admit that each succeeding tidbit served during that first hour was some of the best he'd ever had.

Though he tried not to engage in conversation with the other guests, there were times when it was just impossible to avoid. He was grateful when Quatre and Trowa eventually approached him. They each shook his hand and politely asked how he was doing. It was all for show, really, because Duo's best friends had taken him into their home and hid his presence while he'd undergone the two procedures necessary to change his appearance once again. Now that he'd healed enough to be in public, he was getting excited about the idea of starting out on his own. The one downside was that his association with Duo would have to be by email only, at least for a couple of years. They couldn't risk people putting two and two together and figuring out what Heero Yuy had the moment he laid eyes on him. Time would change the need to be separated from his friend, and for that he was grateful. Duo was like the brother he never had, and he was reluctant to be separated from him any longer than necessary.

He glanced over at his "brother" now, only to see the man looking with open adoration at his new husband. Would he ever know what that was like? To look at someone and see all your heart's desires answered. Well, he hoped one day to find that woman, but for now and the foreseeable future he'd have to content himself on enjoying the search for her.

He jumped slightly, startled by the large hand that suddenly gripped his shoulder from behind. It felt like a five pound bag of sand had landed there.

And then an impossibly deep voice said, "If I'm not mistaken, you must be Duo's cousin Taylor."

Looking up, and then up some more, he knew he was looking into the face of Rashid. Duo had described the giant man to a T.

After swallowing he replied, "That's right, and you must be Rashid. Duo's told me about you. All good things, of course," he rushed to add, hoping to stay on the goliatha man's good side.

A flash of straight, white and large teeth were displayed when the man smiled. And Taylor couldn't help but marvel at the size of the man, thinking his head must be the size of a basketball.

They spoke for a few moments, just the normal chit chat of two men meeting for the first time at a social function, and then they paused and their eyes met. Then without a word being spoken, there came a shared sense of congratulations communicated, for having carried out a very successful venture that had resulted in saving hundreds if not thousands of lives on L2. Taylor didn't really know the large man, but he felt an instant affinity with him.

And then the moment was over and the two broke eye contact and looked away. Exchanging a few brief words in parting, Taylor watched the mountain of a man walk away.

Before he could gather his thoughts another wedding guest approached him. A tall, beautiful woman. She was dressed elegantly for the occasion in a deep blue sheath overlaid with a diaphanous flowing skirt. She wore her shiny black hair extremely short, which showcased her topaz and diamond earrings and necklace to perfection. The lady was a knock out.

"You must be Duo's cousin," was her opening line.

"Well, from the genetic test we had done, we're at the most cousins," he answered with a flirting grin.

She thoughtfully studied his face for a long moment. "I can certainly see a resemblance. Did I understand correctly that Hilde found you on L2 and brought you to Duo's attention?"

He nodded. "And that was possibly the best day of my life." And ain't that the truth, he mentally added.

The woman raised her eyebrows and waited, obviously hoping he'd elaborate. He got the impression she was digging for information. His guard went up instantly and he thought it would be wise to divert her line of thinking. "I'm sorry, I don't believe we've been introduced."

She actually blushed. "I'm Lucretia Peacecraft."

His eyes widened with the realization of who she was. "You're married to Milliardo Peacecraft?"

"The one and only," she answered with a delightful laugh. She was obviously amused by his startled reaction.

Taylor was immediately on alert, knowing that he needed to watch what he said. Duo had told him about the people he'd met during the last two wars. This woman, he recalled, had been a soldier for the Alliance before she changed sides to fight with the gundam pilots against OZ. From Quatre he'd learned that Lucretia Noin had been in love with Zech Marquis, a.k.a. the Lightening Count, a.k.a Milliardo Peacecraft. She was also a Preventer and sister in law to Relena Peacecraft, the government's darling and the girl Duo had kidnaped from the streets of Sanq.

He couldn't exactly run away to escape talking to her, which would probably tip the woman off that something was wrong, nor could he see anyone rushing to help him out of this situation. A quick glance around told him Duo and Heero were speaking to a group of guests, totally involved in the conversation, and Quatre and Trowa were off in a corner together, most likely involved in something he really didn't want to know about. Okay, he told himself, he should consider this good practice for how to handle similar situations in the future.

He stuck out his hand to her and stated, "I'm Taylor Mann. Nice to meet you."

They chatted for only a few minutes more, and after the lovely woman wandered off, Taylor congratulated himself on getting through the brief conversation without leaking out any information. From that experience and several other conversations that transpired during that part of the reception, he grew more confident that he could indeed handle himself in almost any situation, as long as it didn't include he and Heero being closeted together for more than two minutes. Really, that guy was the most intimidating person he'd ever met, and he'd met a lot of those types in the L2 bars. But even L2's worst thugs had nothing on the Preventer jerk who held him prisoner in Duo's apartment for nearly 48 hours.

At last Heero and Duo, hand in hand, made their way over to him. "Are you staying for dinner?" Duo asked after a brief, friendly embrace.

"You know, I think I will." That earned him a pleased grin from Duo and a look of concern from Heero. He knew the Preventer didn't want him around, probably worried that someone might guess that he'd acted as Duo's double, and then the shit would hit the fan all over again. Duo had informed him that Heero had figured out he and his friends were the marauders, but in order to preserve their life together they had instituted a don't ask, don't tell policy. And so he was instructed by Duo not to mention anything about what had happened while he was employed by him.

"Don't worry," he reassured the couple in a voice low enough that it wouldn't carry beyond the three of them. "I've got things under control. I'm actually starting to enjoy myself. You've got some pretty cool friends."

Duo leaned forward. "Just stay away from Alana Stevens. She might be able to put two and two together, and she's still a bit upset that I turned out to be gay. I pretty much think her agent pushed her into accepting the invitation to come today, showing the public what a great gal she is for forgiving me for choosing a guy over her. Truthfully, I think she's mad as hell."

And Taylor knew it was all his fault. Duo had warned him to not sleep with the women he met while impersonating him. Now he'd hurt the actress, and for that he was truly sorry. He'd really liked Alana, and had bedded her a couple of times without Duo knowing. His friend thought it had only been that one time and had warned him off. There was nothing he could do about it now. He prized his freedom and the money he'd made over the past couple of years too much to risk being discovered. His future plans were now centered on moving to an apartment on L4, once he returned to that colony after the wedding. Living there he would have Quatre and Trowa to talk to once in a while, and meet up with Duo when he came for a visit.

He agreed with Duo that he should stay off planet for a couple of years, then he'd be free to go where ever he wanted. Who knew, maybe he would find L4 to his liking, enough to make his stay there permanent. Anything was better than L2, though he'd heard it was undergoing quite a transformation that would give the surviving residents of that colony hope for a better future. Like Duo, he had no reason to return to their home colony. His memories of his life there were anything but happy. Well, he'd make his own happiness now, thanks to Duo Maxwell and his earnings from the last couple of years.

Other than a brief greeting, Heero seemed to turn a deaf ear to their conversation. Ignoring him, Taylor continued to chat with Duo for a few moments longer about his new apartment and job prospects. Then at Duo's urging, he promised to keep in touch just before Heero led his new husband away, but not before the long-haired model looked over his shoulder and mouthed the words, _Thank you for coming_.

"So, what do you think about all of this?" a craggy voice asked from over his shoulder.

Turning his head, he was greeted by the sight of the man he'd only seen once, a couple of years ago. Howard looked older, the lines on his face had deepened and his gray hair was shorter than he remembered and thinning.

"You mean two guys getting hitched? I think it's crazy. But what the hell. If Duo is happy, I wouldn't care if he married Ugly Harry from the Bits and Pieces bar."

"You know Harry?" Howard asked with a laugh that seemed to wash away some of the years lining his face.

"Anyone who has ever been to L2 knows Harry. The guy is dog butt-ugly, but the best bartender in the city."

Howard's smile dimmed. "I can't help but wonder if Harry survived the embargo. I know for a fact he was on the colony when it began."

Taylor frowned. "I don't know. I haven't spoken with anyone from L2 since communications were reestablished."

And then by an odd coincidence, he saw someone familiar in the crowd, someone from L2. He felt strangely excited by her presence. He waved at the thin young woman, trying to get her attention. Hilde looked his way, having caught sight of his arm waving about, and excused herself from the group she'd been talking to. It was then that he realized he'd pulled her away from Relena Peacecraft and her date, Wufei Chang. Those two seemed rather chummy this evening, he thought.

Hilde approached, a cautious look in her eyes. Yet the smile she wore conveyed to anyone who might be looking that she was genuinely happy to see him. "Taylor, how are you?"

"I'm well, Hilde. How are you? I can't tell you how great it is to see you well."

She sighed, and Taylor recognized an air of sadness about the young woman. "I'm well enough, but I can't say the same about a lot of people I used to call friends and neighbors. No doubt a lot of the people you once knew, Taylor, are dead also."

Taylor tried his best not to think of his old gang. He'd cut ties with them years ago, when he finally landed a steady job. Working ten hour days helped him escape his old life and the escalating violence between gangs vying for territory. For years he had pushed away any thought of the street hardened kids that had been his only security after his Dad had been killed by a stray bullet, when he was just eleven years old. But that was the past, he firmly told himself. There was no way he was going to dwell on those dark memories, especially on a day when Heero and Duo were looking towards the future.

Time for another change of subject. "Have you been watching the news about the senators they've arrested for misleading the government into placing the embargo?"

Hilde acknowledged that she had with a slight nod of her head. Taylor thought she looked terribly sad, and he had to resist the urge to put his arm around her small shoulders and try to comfort her. He didn't think she'd welcome a public display.

Duo had sent him an email, keeping him up to date with the Preventers' investigation, as told to him by Heero. Une had in her possession some intercepted suspiciously worded messages between five government officials. They were the same men who had sponsored the writ that called for the embargo against L2. She ordered a discreet but thorough investigation into the backgrounds of those five. Being politicians, most of their lives were a matter of public record. They had been high ranking officers for the Alliance, and it came as a surprise that all five had been stationed on L2 at the same time, before, during and after a large number of that colony had died from a disease termed The Blight, back in 193 A.C. The origins of that sickness had never been discovered, but once suspicions regarding these men had been raised, there came the call for further investigation.

Milliardo Peacecraft and Wufei were chosen to "interview" the five suspects. From what Heero said, the two determined Preventers zeroed in on Senator Rychek, considering him the weak link of the group. After six hours of intense questioning, the man's story fell apart and he confessed the real reason the group set into motion the groundwork for the embargo; they were trying to coverup their less than moral and illegal deeds while assigned to duty on L2. According to Rychek, they had received orders from Alliance's top brass to subdue the unruly colony. Rychek put the blame on Colonel Reinhardt, now a powerful senator, for coming up with the plan to eliminate one of the more visible problems that the troublesome colony suffered from; the staggering number of poor and homeless.

Reinhardt, Rychek said, admitted to knowing someone working in the Alliance's biochemical research department back on Earth. One week after making contact with that unnamed person, an plain, unmarked case the size of a box of copy paper, arrived, filled with aerosol canisters. Those containers had held a lethal, scentless and tasteless toxin. Without delay, the five saw to it that the containers were set off in the poorest sections of the colony early one morning, when there was little to no foot traffic about. Hours later the first symptoms of sickness began to show up. A day later the homeless began dropping in the streets. Three weeks later, three quarters of the slum's population were dead.

Applying a little more pressure, Wufei had Rychek confessing to other illegal activities while the group had been stationed on L2. The five Alliance officers had their fingers in the colonial black market, selling government supplies and weapons intended for Alliance troop to mercenaries or anyone else who had enough money. A small portion of those supplies even armed the rebels on L2, those very men who coerced an orphan boy into stealing a mobile suit for them.

Rychek admitted that the five of them became very rich men during their time on L2, while the people of that colony suffered and died as a result of their greed and ambition.

Yet their deeds had not gone unnoticed and their names were not forgotten.

Rychek admitted that five years ago someone from L2, a member of a gang that had been growing in prominence on L2, had contacted several of the five, trying to make use of this knowledge regarding their actions of the past by attempting to blackmail them. The man claimed to have not only their names, but also proof that the five Alliance officers had initiated the plague and sold arms to the rebels.

Taylor, Hilde and Howard spoke of these events briefly before Hilde shook her head, looking miserable, and said, "All of the suffering, starvation and death they caused, just to cover their damn tracks. It makes me sick to think about it."

Taylor didn't feel ill, but he was definitely angry. "I hope they rot in hell," he said between clenched teeth.

"Not until they pay their dues here first," Hilde added grimly.

"Will you be going back to L2?" Howard asked gently. The older man had remained by Taylor's side during their conversation. By changing the subject, Taylor assumed he'd seen the haunted look in Hilde's eyes. Duo had feared she was struggling with survivor's guilt, and now he thought so, too. Howard was right to change the subject to something other than the senators currently waiting for their trial to begin.

"I will," Hilde answered, "after a couple more weeks planet side. Duo wants me to stay a while and gain some weight as well as my health back, and Relena has invited me to share her home while he and Heero are on their honeymoon."

"Speaking of Relena, did you see her while she was on L2?" Taylor asked. Thanks to her announcement, shortly after her return, everyone on Earth and in the colonies was aware of Relena Peacecraft's kidnaping, and that she'd been taken from Earth and left on L2. There had been a lot of speculation about who had kidnaped her why she'd been taken to L2, but the general consensus was that she was brought there for the purpose of experiencing first hand the suffering of that colony's citizens and then returned to Earth so she could take steps towards rectifying the situation. Taylor couldn't say anything out loud, of course, but he knew that was the very reason Relena had been whisked off to L2. Duo hadn't taken her there for any feelings of resentfulness or jealousy. He'd risked his neck on the chance that the renowned young woman would have compassion on the people of L2 and would help them. Despite their best efforts to save the deprived people, they needed someone to publicly champion them, and he and Quatre decided that Relena was probably the only person who could pull it off. But in order for her to be their defender, she needed to truly understand their suffering. Seems Duo and Quatre had been right, as always.

Hilde nodded. "Yes. She worked with me at the distribution center. I have to say that she was as poised, strong and determined as I have ever seen her. She kept her promise to help L2 if the opportunity presented itself." Suddenly looking away, it was clear that Hilde didn't want to be questioned any further about Relena.

Taking the hint, Taylor asked, "Have the authorities questioned you yet?"

She nodded. "Yes, but I afraid they were disappointed in what I had to say. Over and over I told them I don't know who the off-colony Guardians were. But I emphatically stated, for the record, that as far as I'm concerned they deserve the Earth Sphere and Colonial Peace Prize for saving L2."

The two men nodded in agreement. Of course, the three of them knew who the Guardians/marauders were, but secrets could only be kept if no one spoke of them. Instead, the three exchanged a knowing glance, acknowledging without words their having been a part of something much greater than anything they would probably accomplish again in their lifetimes.

"I'm to meet with Preventer Chang in the morning," Howard informed them with a wily grin. "I think I'll speak with him over breakfast, talk about the good old days."

Taylor chuckled, thinking Howard would probably talk circles around the Preventer. Though Wufei really wouldn't be searching too deeply for the answers to the questions he would be forced by duty to ask, Howard could be counted on giving the Preventer the answers the law enforcer was looking for as well as a verifiable alibi as to where the builder of gundams and stealth systems claimed he'd been for the past couple of years.

The dinner bell chimed above the din of guest chatting and laughing, calling everyone back inside to the feast about to be served. Taylor couldn't help but rub his hands together in anticipation. Duo had emailed him about the menu, and his mouth was watering just thinking about it.

Having been taught to act the gentleman, Taylor smiled at Hilde and offered her his arm, asking permission to escort her to dinner. Unexpectedly, his heart skipped a couple of beats when her eyes lit up and she smiled back. She's still as beautiful as she was when we first met, he thought.

He recalled that particular day quite well. He was in the Abysmal, a bar he frequented on Fridays after payday. He and his friends were in the midst of celebration the end of another week of drudgery when he looked up to see a petite angel with pale, flawless skin and black shoulder-length hair approaching him wearing an expression of disbelief. While he hoped she was thinking he was the answer to all her dreams, he learned, after a brief hello and introduction, that he bore an uncanny resemblance to a friend of hers.

He'd met her only one other time, when she'd tracked him down again with a job proposition followed by an introduction to Duo Maxwell. The moment he said yes, he knew his life was about to change for the better, and for some strange reason, he was feeling something similar in offering to lead the small, underweight woman to her table.

Well, the thought to himself, this night was just full of surprises.

After she placed her hand on his arm, he reached up and patted it, letting her know he was enjoying the opportunity to lead her in to dinner. "Are you up to dancing tonight?" he asked. "Duo told me we're coming back outside after dinner to dance until they leave for their honeymoon."

"I think I can manage a dance or two," she replied with a smile that was suddenly shy.

"Or maybe three?" he suggested with a hopeful grin.

Howard chuckled behind them as he followed them inside. Taylor could only guess why the older man was amused.

Hilde leaned gently on his arm as they proceeded inside. Her eyes sparkled up at him as she asked, "Duo didn't say, but do you know where they're going on their honeymoon?"

"No, I don't. Since Duo planned the wedding, Heero got to choose where they were going afterwards."

Howard leaned forward to add, "Ten to one he's chosen some place where Duo won't be recognized."

Taylor laughed at that. "Fat chance of that happening. Duo's picture has been plastered all over the news since he 'came out' and even before that he'd been in every magazine and gossip column since he became a model. There's no way Heero can find a place where he won't be identified."

Howard looked at Taylor as if he were a teacher telling a kid he should have done his homework. "I would never bet against Heero Yuy, especially on anything that has to do with Duo."

Hilde readily agreed, and Taylor found himself wondering about Duo's new husband. Maybe, over the next couple of years, he might be able to learn more about the man his "brother" was head over heels for. Everyone else seem to hold him in high regard, so maybe there was more than the man than what he'd observed.

They found an empty table and took a seat just as the waiters entered the room bearing trays of plates filled with wonderful smelling food. Taylor shared a look of excitement with the ebony haired woman. Duo had promised they would be served a meal they wouldn't soon forget, and judging by the open expression of joy on Hilde's face, it looked like their mutual friend had been true to his word.

*************

Twelve hours later, Duo stood on the deck of the cabin Heero had driven them to from the airport in the wee hours of the morning. He took a deep breath, inhaling the fresh scent of pine and took a moment to soak in the warmth of the sun and the view of the trees and rolling mountains surrounding their location. With the exception of a few birds, there was no sound other than the creak of the deck as he stretched his arms up and yawned. Upon their arrival, he and Heero had been too exhausted from the day before as well as their night-long journey to do anything but stip off their clothes, fall into bed and go to sleep. He was glad they'd taken a private jet, courtesy of Quatre and Trowa, seeing that it had allowed them a couple of hours of privacy for him to make good on his promise to curl Heero's toes hours after being married.

The mid-morning breeze was warm, promising an even warmer day ahead. A brief, fragile gust was just strong enough to lift some of his long hair from the pony tail he'd hastily pulled it into after rolling out of bed. Breathing in another breath of fresh air, he felt rejuvenated from the long weeks of planning a wedding and getting his life in order in a new city, a new home. His only worry at the moment was whether or not there was any food in the cabin and if he would be expected to cook. He shuddered, just thinking about the dreaded task. Well, his lack of skills in the kitchen would be remedied soon after their return home. He had signed up to take a beginners cooking class being offered at the city's recreations center, and that should at least help him from making every attempt to cook a disaster in the making.

A slight creak behind him alerted him to his lover's presence. "Are you cold?" Heero gently moved the long length of hair over his right shoulder before wrapping his arms around his waist and pulling him back slightly, until he rested against his lover's bare chest. Um... it was clear that Heero was feeling rejuvenated this morning, too.

"No, I'm not cold," the long haired man answered as he folded his arms over the ones holding him. "I'm incredibly, indescribably happy."

"As am I."

Duo looked over his shoulder. "Are you sure it's safe to go around without clothes here?" Both of them were standing on the second storey balcony, sans even a stitch of clothing. Ass to, well, something wonderful.

"There's no one around for miles, Duo. Even the ranger station, which is eight miles to the north, can't see us. So relax."

"That's easier said than done, Heero. With all the paparazzi we've had to deal with for the last couple of months, I half expect someone with a large telephoto lens to be snapping picture of us right now, and within an hour our bare asses will be featured on the internet or on the front page of a scandalous tabloid." He sighed, and said in a weary tone of voice, "Will they ever just leave us alone?"

"Eventually," Heero assured him, placing a couple of soft kisses to his lover's neck. "But it won't be this week, and probably not even this year."

"Well, if this place is as secure as you say it is, and no one followed us here, maybe we could arrange to stay for a while, like the rest of our lives."

"We have two weeks, and then I have to return to work."

Though Duo was disappointed, he knew he had a shoot in Italy in three weeks as well. Life would catch up to them sooner or later.

Returning his thoughts to the here and now, he gazed out on the forest the surround them for miles on end and said, "This is really nice. How did you find this place?"

"From the font of all knowledge," Heero dead panned.

"From Quatre, huh?"

"Exactly."

"And you wonder why I love the guy so much."

There was only a slight pause before Heero asked in a teasing tone. "So tell me, just how much do you love Quatre?"

Duo grinned. "More than chocolate pudding."

"Really?"

"Absolutely."

"More than coffee, with real cream?"

"Hum... yeah. Of course."

"More than Denver omelets and hash browns?"

Duo looked at the grinning face just over his shoulder. "You heard my stomach growling, didn't you?"

Both of Heero's hands flattened against his belly. "I can feel it."

"Well, I can feel that you're not all that interested in eating breakfast."

"It just depends on what is being offered."

Duo turned in Heero's arms and pressed their foreheads together. "Do you expect me to cook you breakfast, husband mine?"

Heero chuckled. "I'm not willing to live that dangerously on our first day of being married. No, I was thinking about the can of whipping cream and strawberries in the refrigerator, served on a bed of creamy flesh laid out on that granite counter top."

"Is that creamy flesh caramel color, or barely tan."

"Either one suits me, but since you're the one who is hungry..."

"I'm not hungry for food any more." And to prove it, Duo wrapped his arms around Heero's shoulders and jumped slightly to lift his legs and wrap them around Heero's waist. "But what do you say, let's start cooking." And with the kiss that followed, the air around the two began to sizzle.

**************

Happy ending, happy couples and happy ever after. The end. Really, this time.


End file.
